Aug 21, 2022 | 18th Century, Legal, Transcription, United States
Peter Mcnelly Affidavit of Peter McNelly (1794) By taking his kidnappers to court, Peter McNelly forced two territorial judges to grapple with how to interpret the Northwest Ordinance in a way that would make Congress’ ban on slavery an enforceable one. Introduction...
Aug 21, 2022 | 19th Century, Congressional Record, Transcription, United States
congress Debates and Creation over Congress “Gag” Rule (1836) Introduction The “Gag Rule” was the informal name of a procedural motion to prevent the reading of abolitionist petitions in the House. The 1830s saw a ramping up of...
Aug 21, 2022 | 19th Century, Slave Code, Transcription, United States
South Carolina South Carolina Slave Laws (1690-1717) Introduction In progress. Further Reading Sources Cite this page APAMLAHarvardVancouverChicagoIEEESlavery Law & Power in Early America and the British Empire (September 15, 2023) South Carolina Slave Laws...
Aug 20, 2022 | 19th Century, Law, Transcription, United States
Kansas Prohibitions Kansas Prohibitions on Anti-Slavery Material and Ending Slavery (1850s) “Bleeding Kansas” is a pivotal event in U.S. history. The documents compiled here reflect the contentious developments that unfolded as residents attempted to settle Kansas,...
May 14, 2020 | 19th Century, Legislation, Transcription, United States
One Last Try Corwin Amendment (1860) On the eve of the Civil War, Thomas Corwin attempted to steer the country in a different direction by offering up a compromise bill that would have protected slavery in the South. By this point, however, the Southern states were...
May 14, 2020 | 18th Century, Pamphlet, Transcription, United States
A Lawyer’s Call St. George Tucker’s Gradual Emancipation Plan (1796) One of Virginia’s most notable lawyers in the late 18th Century, Tucker set out to provide his state with a plan to rid itself of the institution of slavery. Introduction St. George...
