History of slavery in the United States

Slavery in the United States mainly lasted from the early 17th century until the Civil War in the 1860s. Enslaved Africans were forcibly brought to work on plantations, especially in the South, producing crops like cotton and tobacco. This system was supported by laws and social norms that dehumanized Black people. Resistance to slavery included revolts and the Underground Railroad. The abolition movement gained momentum in the 19th century, leading to the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The Civil War ultimately ended slavery, solidified by the 13th Amendment in 1865, but its legacy continues to affect society today.