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== Slavery 1800-1840 ==

== Slavery 1800-1840 ==

The ''importation'' of slaves into the United States was banned by Congress at its first available opportunity, in 1808, as allowed by the slavery compromise in the Constitution.  The importation of slaves was morally offensive for two reasons:  (1) up to a third of slaves died on ships as they were being imported from Africa, and (2) the importation perpetuated slavery which many thought should be abolished. The United States was one of the first countries in the world to ban slave trade.  In Australia, another British colony, slavery was not abolished until 1901.

The ''importation'' of slaves into the United States was banned by Congress at its first available opportunity, in 1808, as allowed by the slavery compromise in the Constitution.  The importation of slaves was morally offensive for two reasons:  (1) up to a third of slaves died on ships as they were being imported from Africa, and (2) the importation perpetuated slavery which many thought should be abolished.

 

The United States banned slave trade around the same time that Britain did, and before other countries did.  In Australia, another British colony, slavery was not abolished until 1901, although Britain banned slavery in most of its colonies in 1833 upon the urging of Wilber Wilberforce, a convert to Christianity.  The last country to ban slavery was the Islamic Republic of Mauritani, located in northwest Africa, which did not ban it in 1981 and did not make it a criminal offense until 2007.

But slavery remained the foundation of the economy throughout the first half of the 19th century in many southern States, particularly South Carolina.  The dispute over slavery increasingly divided the North, many of whom opposed it, from the South, many of whom relied on it.

But slavery remained the foundation of the economy throughout the first half of the 19th century in many southern States, particularly South Carolina.  The dispute over slavery increasingly divided the North, many of whom opposed it, from the South, many of whom relied on it.