Slavery refers to a system in which individuals are owned as property by others who have complete control over them. Enslaved people are forced to work without pay and do not have the same rights or freedoms as free individuals.
Related terms
Underground Railroad: A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans to escape to free states or Canada.
Fugitive Slave Act (1850): A law that required escaped slaves to be returned to their owners, even if they were in a free state.
Frederick Douglass: An influential abolitionist and former enslaved person who became a prominent speaker, writer, and advocate for the abolition of slavery.