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Congress bans US vessels from supplying slaves to other countries

The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807 (2 Stat. 426, enacted March 2, 1807) is a United States federal law that prohibits the importation of slaves into the United States.

The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807 (2 Stat. 426, enacted March 2, 1807) is a United States federal law that prohibits the importation of slaves into the United States. It took effect on January 1, 1808, the earliest date permitted by the United States Constitution.

This legislation was promoted by President Thomas Jefferson, who called for its enactment in his 1806 State of the Union Address. He and others had promoted the idea since the 1770s. It reflected the general trend toward abolishing the international slave trade, which Virginia, followed by all the other states, had prohibited or restricted since then (South Carolina, however, had reopened its trade).

Historical Significance

The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807 (2 Stat.

Events Before

  1. French King Louis XVI sentenced to death by the National Convention during the French Revolution

    Louis XVI was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution.

  2. Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine in Paris, following his conviction for high treason by the newly formed Na

    Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine in Paris, following his conviction for high treason by the newly formed National Convention during the French Revolution

  3. Scottish explorer Alexander Mackenzie completes the first European east-to-west crossing of America north of Mexico

    Sir Alexander Mackenzie (1764 – 12 March 1820) was a Scottish-Canadian explorer and fur trader known for accomplishing the first crossing of North America north of Mexico by a European in 1793.

  4. Alexander aged 15, later Tsar Alexander I, grandson of Catherine the Great, marries German princess Louise of Baden (Eli

    Alexander aged 15, later Tsar Alexander I, grandson of Catherine the Great, marries German princess Louise of Baden (Elizabeth Alexeievna) aged14

  5. The wedding of Prince Friedrich Ludwig of Prussia and Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz takes place.

    The wedding of Prince Friedrich Ludwig of Prussia and Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz takes place.

Events After

  1. 2nd Earl of Liverpool Robert Jenkinson (25) weds daughter of the Earl of Bristol Lady Louisa Hervey at Wimbledon

    2nd Earl of Liverpool Robert Jenkinson (25) weds daughter of the Earl of Bristol Lady Louisa Hervey at Wimbledon

  2. Ludwig van Beethoven (24) has his debut performance as a pianist at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria

    Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist.

  3. French National Convention decrees "La Marseillaise" by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle as France's national anthem

    "La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. It was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg after the declaration of war by the First French Republic against Austria,...

  4. British capture Cape Town, South Africa, from the Dutch

    The first modern humans are believed to have inhabited South Africa more than 100,000 years ago.

  5. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" poet Samuel Coleridge (22) marries Sarah Fricker in Bristol, England

    "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" poet Samuel Coleridge (22) marries Sarah Fricker in Bristol, England

More from the 1790s

Albany replaces New York City as the capital of New York

Albany ( AWL-bə-nee) is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York. It is also the county seat of, and the most populous city in, Albany County.

Russia appoints first Jewish censor to censor Hebrew books

Russia appoints first Jewish censor to censor Hebrew books

First US President George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address

The 1790 State of the Union Address was the inaugural State of the Union address, delivered by President George Washington to the United States Congress on January 8, 1790, at the Senate Chamber of…

French King Louis XVI sentenced to death by the National Convention during the French Revolution

Louis XVI was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on March 22, 1794?
The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807 (2 Stat. 426, enacted March 2, 1807) is a United States federal law that prohibits the importation of slaves into the United States. It took effect on January 1, 1808, the earliest date permitted by the United States Constitution.
Why is Congress bans US vessels from supplying slaves to other countries significant?
The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807 (2 Stat.

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March 22 in HistoryYear 1794