Slave Trade Act of 1800 facts for kids
.svg) |
|
| Long title | An Act in Addition to the Act Intituled (sic) "An Act to Prohibit the Carrying on the Slave Trade from the United States to any Foreign Place or Country." |
|---|---|
| Enacted by | the 6th United States Congress |
| Effective | May 10, 1800 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | Pub.L. 6-51 |
| Statutes at Large | 2 Stat. 70 |
| Legislative history | |
|
|
The Slave Trade Act of 1800 was an important law passed by the United States Congress. It added to an earlier law from 1794, aiming to further stop Americans from being involved in the trade of enslaved people. President John Adams signed this law on May 10, 1800. This act was one of several steps taken by the U.S. government that eventually made it illegal to bring enslaved people into the country. Later, in 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution made owning slaves and trading them within the U.S. completely against the law.
Contents
How the Law Was Passed
This law was approved by Congress on May 2, 1800. Its full name was An Act to prohibit the carrying on the Slave Trade from the United States to any foreign place or country. This meant the law focused on stopping the slave trade that happened between other countries, especially when Americans were involved.
What the Law Said
The Slave Trade Act of 1800 made several key things illegal for people in the United States:
Owning Ships for Slave Trade
It became against the law for any U.S. citizen or anyone living in the U.S. to own or have any part in a ship used to transport enslaved people from one foreign country to another. If someone broke this rule, their share in the ship could be taken away. They would also have to pay a large fine, equal to double the value of their share in the ship. They would also pay double the value of their interest in any enslaved people carried on that ship.
Working on Slave Trade Ships
The law also made it illegal for any U.S. citizen or resident to work on a U.S. ship that was transporting enslaved people between foreign countries. If someone chose to work on such a ship, they could face serious penalties, including fines and time in prison.
Working on Foreign Slave Trade Ships
U.S. citizens were also forbidden from working on foreign ships involved in the slave trade. If they did, they would face the same punishments as if the ship was owned by someone in the United States.
Stopping Illegal Ships
The law gave permission to U.S. Navy ships to stop and seize any vessels involved in the illegal slave trade. When a ship was seized, the ship itself, along with its equipment and goods (but not the enslaved people), would be taken by the government. The officers and crew of the seized ship would be arrested and handed over to U.S. authorities to face legal action.
Court Powers
U.S. courts were given the power to handle all cases and crimes related to breaking this new law.
State Laws Still Apply
The act made sure that it did not allow anyone to bring enslaved people into any U.S. state where such importation was already against the law. This meant existing state laws against importing enslaved people remained in effect.
Sharing Fines
Any money collected from fines under this law would be split. Half would go to the person who reported the illegal activity, and the other half would go to the United States government. However, if the government started the case, then all the money would go to the United States.
Why This Law Was Important
The Slave Trade Act of 1794 had already made it illegal for U.S. ships to be involved in the international slave trade. It also limited foreign ships from trading enslaved people in U.S. ports. The 1800 Act made the rules even stricter. It increased the fines and punishments for breaking the law. It also made it illegal for U.S. citizens or residents to invest money in the slave trade or to work on any foreign ships involved in it. This law was a significant step in the U.S. government's efforts to end the international slave trade.
