The first Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619 on a Dutch ship and were traded for supplies. Within sixty years the institution of slavery was firmly established. Many people, however, saw slavery as a problem. It seemed to contradict America's ideals of liberty and Christian virtues. Other people, however, said that slaves were property and that the Constitution guaranteed their right to private property.

• View these pictures of slavery, seen by a contemporary.
• Describe what is happening in three of the pictures.
  
  
• Look at this map of Virginia. Note that the upper right corner is a link to population data from the 1820 census. Analyze the chart, and compare it with the map of Virginia.
• Identify a county where you would be more likely to see those three actions you identified.
• Select another county where you would be less likely to see them happening.
• Which counties fall into each category?

Solutions to Slavery

Prominent Americans struggled with the concept of slavery. Here are some samples of their perspectives, opinions, and solutions.

• Angelina Grimke and her sister, Sarah, both of Charleston, renounced their slave property and joined one of over 2,000 societies which worked to bring about the end of slavery. Angelina spoke to the Christian Women of the South, in 1836, on this topic. Read parts of her address to this religious society, and make note of your reactions to her comments .

  
  

• The Pro-slavery movement turned to the U.S. Constitution for validation of slavery. Search the Constitution, and note the key sections which would validate the Pro-Slavery movement. Which key words did you use in your search of the Constitution? Which sections of the Constitution support the Pro slavery point of view?
  
  

• Another solution to the "slavery problem" was put forth the by American Colonization Society. The Society, initially headed by George Washington's nephew, worked to establish Liberia as a colony ex-slaves.

  For more information on the Colonization movement, consult the Library of Congress's online exhibit on Liberia.
  
  

• Answer these questions:
  • How did both the pro-slavery faction and the anti-slavery movement use the Constitution to support their argument? How do you think the Colonization Movement would view the Constitutional argument?
  • Frederick Douglas, an prominent African American abolitionist said "If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem." What other solutions can you suggest to resolve the slavery issue?
  • The abortion issue divides the nation in much the same way slavery once did. How do the two sides of this issue use the Constitution to support their argument?
  
  

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• This issue polarized the nation; there was no middle ground. To learn more about the sectional conflict that gripped the nation, click here.