Abolition of the international slave trade

Definition

This refers to Congress banning the importation of new slaves into America in 1808. It was one part of a larger abolitionist movement aimed at ending slavery altogether.

Analogy

Imagine if one day all car manufacturers were told they could no longer produce cars. Existing cars could still be sold or traded, but no new ones could be made. That's similar to what happened when Congress banned importing new slaves - existing slaves were still enslaved, but no new ones could be brought into America.

Related terms

Underground Railroad: A network that helped enslaved African Americans escape to freedom in Northern states or Canada during early-to-mid 19th century.

Frederick Douglass: An escaped slave who became a prominent activist, author, public speaker for abolitionism in America.

Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, declaring all slaves in Confederate territory to be free (effective as of January 1, 1863).