Slavery: Definition and Abolition | HISTORY.com - HISTORY

Slavery

Slavery was widely practiced throughout the ancient world, and in the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, which helped propel the United States into the Civil War.

Historians and experts examine the American system of racialized slavery and the hypocrisy it relied on to function.

Under threat of punishment, enslaved families found small ways to rebel against an oppressive system.

The slave auction was the epitome of the system's dehumanization.

Historians and experts discuss the importance of the family unit in the lives of enslaved people.

Professor Eric Foner discusses key people and events in the history of the Underground Railroad. He explains how slaves escaped to freedom with assistance from anti-slavery activists.