civil_war

Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention

December 14, 1861
West Virginia
Era
civil_war
Date
December 14, 1861
Location
West Virginia
Type
other

What happened

At the Constitutional Convention, Rev. Gordon Battelle introduced a resolution for gradual emancipation, which was rejected in favor of a policy of Negro exclusion for the new state.

People involved

When this happened

Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention occurred in December 14, 1861, during the civil_war period of American history.

Where this happened

Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention took place in West Virginia. Explore the full history of West Virginia and primary source records from this era.

Historical context — civil_war

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the deadliest conflict in American history, killing an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The Confederate States of America, formed by eleven seceding Southern states, faced the Union in four years of warfare across 23 states and territories. Major engagements included First and Second Bull Run, Antietam (the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Vicksburg (surrendered July 4, 1863), and Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–1865). President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, transforming the war's stated purpose to include the abolition of slavery and enabling the enlistment of approximately 180,000 Black men in the United States Colored Troops. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The war resolved the question of secession and ended American slavery, though Reconstruction would face sustained resistance in its attempt to secure civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia: Civil War.

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About Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention

What was Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention?
At the Constitutional Convention, Rev. Gordon Battelle introduced a resolution for gradual emancipation, which was rejected in favor of a policy of Negro exclusion for the new state.
When did Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention happen?
Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention occurred in December 14, 1861.
Where did Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention take place?
Slavery Debate at Constitutional Convention took place in West Virginia.

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