Slavery in America

Slavery in America~Timeline

1619~ First slaves arrive in America

1817~ Fredrick Douglass is born

1831~ Nat Turners rebellion

1849~ Harriet Tubman is freed by the Underground Railroad

1857~ Dred Scott vs. Sanford case causes a set back in the abolitionist movement

1859~ John Brown led a group into an artillery in Harpers Ferry raid

1860~ Abraham Lincoln is elected President

1861~ The first 7 states secede and the Civil War starts at Fort Sumter

1865~ Slavery is abolished

1867~ Congress is fed up with Andrew Johnson and reconstruction starts

Harpers Ferry in 1859

The attack at Fort Sumter

An engraving of Nat Turners Rebellion

Religion in the Early 1800s

This map shows 6 of the most popular religions in the U.S.
including Baptist, Methodist and Mormon.

             The Second Great Awakening was a revival movement for Christianity during the early 19th century. Beginning around 1800 the Second Great Awakening attracted hundreds of converts to new Protestant faiths before its decline around 1870 gaining momentum around 1820. The Second Great Awakening revived Christian religions such as Baptist, Methodist, Unitarian, and Mormon. The most popular Christian religions before the Second Great Awakening were Presbyterian and Congregationalist.


Baptists

• The Baptist religion was founded in 1608
• Baptists believe that only believers should be baptized
• Baptists believe that people should be baptized by immersion NOT by pouring or sprinkling water 
• Baptists do not have an established church
• Baptists believe there is no human founder, no human authority, and no human creed

In the Baptist religion believers are baptized by
immersion similar to these people.

Congregationalists

• The Congregationalist religion was founded in the 16th century
• Congregationalists accept the Bible as a rule in matters of faith and practice
• Congregationalists base church organization on biblical foundation
• Congregationalists are autonomous people
• Congregationalists foundation principles are faith, freedom, and fellowship

Methodist

• The Methodist religion was founded in the 18th century
• The Methodist religion is the result of the teachings of John Wesley
• Methodists believe that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, the creator of all things, possess infinite love and goodness, has always existed and always will, is three persons in one (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
• Methodists use logic and reason in all matters of faith
• Methodists believe that prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace are blessings of the Holy Spirit at different times

Mormons

• The Mormon religion was founded in 1830
• Mormons are also known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World and the Son of God
• Mormons abstain from alcoholic drinks, tobacco, coffee, tea, and other addictive substances
• The Mormon religion allows polygamy (the practice of having more than one spouse at a time)

Presbyterians

• The Presbyterian religion was founded in the 16th century
• The Presbyterian Doctrine includes the authority of Scripture, justification by grace through faith, the Priesthood of all believers, and the Sovereignty of God
• Presbyterians believe that the Holy Spirit lives inside them, giving them their energy to continue Christ's mission
• Presbyterians believe that they are "chosen by God's grace"
• Presbyterians believe in the Bible and use "it as the unique and authoritative guide for how to live and what to believe"

Unitarians

• The Unitarian religion was founded in the 16th century
• Unitarians believe that God exists in one person
• The Unitarian religion encourages its followers to "search for truth in their own way, at their own pace"
• Unitarians are diverse in how they practice their religion
• The Unitarian religion does not have a creed or "doctrinal requirements"

A Unitarian gathering.

Letter to Family from West

November 7, 1850

Dearest Family,

       I hope everyone is well in Boston. Oh how I miss the bright flowers and busy bees in the summer and the cold crisp morning air that takes my breath away each winter morning. You would not believe where I am while I write this. I sit among my fellow travelers West, and my new family finally in California. The travelers we have met along the difficult way have shared that they hope to find god in California much like my family and I.

      I remember months ago, when we were all resting, a story of a hunter named Jedediah Smith that had been attacked by a grizzly bear. People said that he was only twenty four years old and had survived! His head was sliced open and some of his ribs were broken. I remember seeing open prairies that stretched for miles until the earth meets the sky as so many of our Indian friends have told us. Other travelers that we met along the way told us that the prairies were miles wide and that any farmer would have a good life with tons of money. On our travels we saw so many beavers and I remembered the wealthy people in Boston flaunting their pelts around.

Prairie plants that we saw on the journey to the West.

Jedediah Smith and the grizzly bear that attacked him.

     As we traveled we heard even more stories, some adapted and some new. The story of the Donner party struck me the most. As we traveled, we heard a few people mumbling about the Donner's and I remember wondering who they were. Upon arriving in California we heard more people talking and telling the story of the Donner party. While crossing the Sierra Nevada in the harsh cold in 1846, the Donner party was stranded in five feet of snow and after three weeks had nothing left to eat. They then started to eat their animals, then charred bones. On Christmas, the Donner party ate their first human. By the time the Donner party was found, their was only one member left. After hearing this story I was glad that nothing extreme like that had happened to us on our journey to California.

The Donner party in a blizzard.

     Well dearest family, we will not meet again. I hope you will not miss me too much. Remember that I still love you and I regret leaving although not nearly as much as I should. I have made it to the West safely and I will try to send money. Maybe we will move to the prairies to farm and make more money. The future is unclear but I will always write.

                                                                                                              Farewell my family,
                                                                                                                         Kate

Map of the Donner Pass. 

Election Day

The flag of Massachusetts

Election Day is the "Tuesday after the first Monday in November." It is the day in which the citizens of the United States vote for the federal officials. Election day is a civic holiday in Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. Election day is held on a Tuesday so that voters didn't have to travel on market day and so it didn't interfere with the Sabbath.

The 3 branches of the federal government.

In the House of Representatives Niki Tsongas (Democrat) represents the 3rd district of Massachusetts.

MA's 3rd district.

The Senators that represent Massachusetts in Washington D.C. are Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren, both Democrats. The elected officials that represent Massachusetts in Boston are David M. Nangle in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Eileen M. Donoghue in the Massachusetts Senate, both Democrats.

Charlie Baker is the new governor of Massachusetts.