The first African slaves were brought to the North American colony of Jamestown, Virginia in 1619, to aid in the production of such lucrative crops as tobacco. Slavery was practiced throughout the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, and African-American slaves helped build the economic foundations of the new nation.

Civil War Photographs Home Page 1861 | 1862 |1863 |1864 |1865 |Other Photographs Encyclopedia of American History by Richard B. Morris. When Abraham Lincoln, a known opponent of slavery, was elected president, the South Carolina legislature perceived a threat.

About the American Civil War A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half-slave and half-free. -- Abraham Lincoln, 1858 LANDS OF PROMISE By 1850 the national territory stretched over forest, plain and mountain. Within these far-flung limits dwelt 23 million people in a union comprising 31 states.

Prelude to the war Comparison of North and South