Growth Of Slavery In The United States Between 1776 And 1860

The growth and continuation of African American slavery in the United States, between 1776 and 1860, was supported by social, economic, and political forces. As the nation grew and moved westward, the institution of slavery became deeply rooted in American civilization. As this occurred, slavery continued to exist and expand throughout the nation. At the time, the law, also, was not in favor of the slaves, which encouraged the expansion and continuation of slavery. In the South, slavery played a massive role in the agricultural economy as they were the main people who grew cash crops like rice, tobacco, and indigo. Slaves were the most useful at this job because they were often cheaper to have than other workers. Cotton gin, created by Eli
The 1787 draft of the United States Constitution, included many clauses that supported the institution of slavery. For instance, the Three-Fidths Compromise increased the political might of Southern states by counting enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for determining congressional representation (Philbrick). To estimate a state’s overall population for legislative representation and taxation, the state would count three out of every five enslaved people (Philbrick). The Fugitive Slave Clause also established legal rules for slavery by commanding the enslaved people who had run away from their owners to return. As the United States grew westward, the need for slavery in the states also grew. The United States Congress passed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 to accept the problems of slavery and the admission of new states into the Union (Missouri Compromise). The agreement established a balance between the free states and enslaved person states while establishing a border for future locations of free and enslaved person states by admitting Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state (Missouri
The Compromise of 1850 addressed the enduring issues of slavery and its spread into the new territories of the United States (Compromise of 1850). This was a significant event that took place before the American Civil War. On May 30, 1854, the United States Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which was an important piece of American legislation (Kansas-Nebraska Act). Senator Stephan A. Douglas of Illinois was the main promoter of this act, which was planned to solve the issue of the division of territories in the western part of the nation and the issue of westward expansion. Slavery continued because of racist beliefs imposed by superiors representing African Americans as lower in status and suitable for the roles of slaves. These ideologies were deeply rooted in American culture and deemed fair to justify the use of African Americans as slaves. In 1857, the Supreme Court published the Dred Scott judgment to declare that enslaved people were hardly considered citizens but rather pieces of property, and denied them the right to file any claims for freedom (Dred Scott v.