The Age of Slavery (1800 – 1860). Full Episode
The Age of Slavery illustrates how black lives changed dramatically in the aftermath of the American Revolution. For free black people in places like Philadelphia, these years were a time of tremendous opportunity. But for most African Americans, this era represented a new nadir. The cotton industry fueled the rapid expansion of slavery into new territories, and a Second Middle Passage forced the migration of African Americans from the Upper South into the Deep South. Yet as slavery intensified, so did resistance. From individual acts to mass rebellions, African Americans demonstrated their determination to undermine and ultimately eradicate slavery in every state in the nation. Courageous individuals, such as Harriet Tubman, Richard Allen and Frederick Douglass, played a crucial role in forcing the issue of slavery to the forefront of national politics, helping to create the momentum that would eventually bring the country to civil war.
The Age of Slavery is episode two of the six-part series, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., premiering on PBS on October 22, 2013, 8-9 pm ET. Check local listings on the broadcast schedule.
RELATED CONTENT
Frederick Douglass
A short biography of Frederick Douglass and a poster with a quotation by the abolitionist leader who gained fame through his autobiography.
Why Was Cotton ‘King’?
Cotton not only ruled in the South, but had a great role in the Northern banking industry, New England factories and in Great Britain.
What Was the Second Middle Passage?
The growth of the cotton economy and the internal slave trade in America forced families to separate and migrate once again.
Harriet Tubman
A short biography of Harriet Tubman and a poster featuring a quotation by the famous Underground Railroad conductor.
The Age of Slavery illustrates how black lives changed dramatically in the aftermath of the American Revolution. For free black people in places like Philadelphia, these years were a time of tremendous opportunity. But for most African Americans, this era represented a new nadir. The cotton industry fueled the rapid expansion of slavery into new territories, and a Second Middle Passage forced the migration of African Americans from the Upper South into the Deep South. Yet as slavery intensified, so did resistance. From individual acts to mass rebellions, African Americans demonstrated their determination to undermine and ultimately eradicate slavery in every state in the nation. Courageous individuals, such as Harriet Tubman, Richard Allen and Frederick Douglass, played a crucial role in forcing the issue of slavery to the forefront of national politics, helping to create the momentum that would eventually bring the country to civil war.
The Age of Slavery is episode two of the six-part series, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., premiering on PBS on October 22, 2013, 8-9 pm ET. Check local listings on the broadcast schedule.
RELATED CONTENT
Frederick Douglass
A short biography of Frederick Douglass and a poster with a quotation by the abolitionist leader who gained fame through his autobiography.
Why Was Cotton ‘King’?
Cotton not only ruled in the South, but had a great role in the Northern banking industry, New England factories and in Great Britain.
What Was the Second Middle Passage?
The growth of the cotton economy and the internal slave trade in America forced families to separate and migrate once again.
Harriet Tubman
A short biography of Harriet Tubman and a poster featuring a quotation by the famous Underground Railroad conductor.
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