Episodes Nearest to January 8, 1840: 1 through 25 of 25

  1. Southern Newspapers Report on Slave Abduction Controversy in Georgia
    date January 8, 1840map BALTIMORE, Marylandtags African-Americans, Race-Relations, Slavery

    During the first half of the nineteenth century, slaveholders were becoming progressively more stubborn partisans of their peculiar institution. This was happening throughout the South to different degrees. This stubbornness manifested itself in national politics and the increasing anxiety over inter-state relations concerning slavery. As northern abolitionism became stronger over the next few...

  2. The South Discovers Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque
    date January, 1840map HENRICO, Virginiatags Arts/Leisure, Education, Slavery

    A one-time University of Virginia student and sometime resident of Baltimore and Richmond, Poe published his first collection of writings in 1840. Many of the stories in the Tales had been published previously in various literary journals, such as Godey's Lady's Book and Ladies' American Magazine, and the Southern Literary Messenger, to which Poe was a major contributor. The new volume...

  3. New Gag Rule Aims at Winning Southern Loyalty
    date January, 1840map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Economy, Slavery

    Following an 1836 precedent and continuing the “usual presidential-year escalation of southern loyalty politics,' Congress voted not to receive any antislavery petitions. Pinckney's 1836 rule, passed on behalf of President Martin Van Buren had been disparaged by slaveholders as a weak protection for their interests Despite their disappointment with this effort by the Democratic Party,...

  4. The Honey War Boundary Dispute
    date December 2, 1839 to December 24, 1839map VAN BUREN, Missouritags Government, Law, Politics

    Colonel John C. Sullivan established the borders of pre-statehood Missouri and marked what he thought would be the northern boundary of Missouri. Unfortunately, Sullivan made a major error in his plans, which caused a discrepancy in the boundary line. This mistake made one part of the border more than four miles larger than the other. By 1833 when many people had settled in the area and were applying...

  5. A Former Slaveholder Finds Justification Through Religion
    date February 12, 1840map HAMILTON, Ohiotags Religion, Slavery, Abolition

    In the 1830s a young South Carolina preacher and slaveholder delivered a sermon that justified the institution of slavery in America within the realms of Christianity.  Years later, a reverend in Cincinnati gave a sermon about his endeavor to find proof of the injustices of slavery and the rightful backing of abolitionism through Christianity.  Both of these preachers were able to find justification...

  6. Native American Relations Challenged in Fleming Woods Trading Post Case
    date February 15, 1840 to February 18, 1840map VAN BUREN, Arkansastags Economy, Government, Law, Native-Americans, Race-Relations

    In July of 1837, the states of Arkansas and Missouri functioned as major areas of activity as Americans moved westward. Travelers relied on local people along these western routes to help provide them with necessary equipment and foodstuffs they needed on their journeys. Looking to capitalize on the growing market, Fleming Wood and his partner Egbert Harris hoped to establish a trading post in the...

  7. Hired farm labor in the 1840's
    date February 13, 1840 to April 9, 1840map BRISTOL, Massachusettstags Farm Labor, Agriculture

    Between February 13th and April 9th, 1840, Joseph Borden was absent from work multiple times. He worked as a hired farm hand for Laban Morey Wheaton. Sometimes he was gone a half day or the entire day, but Wheaton took note of every absence in his daybook. Borden seemed to be a loyal and favored worker, however, for he continued to be paid for his labor over the months. There...

  8. Newspapers Report that Trinidad Offers Aid to Free Black Immigrants
    date March 18, 1840map WAKE, North Carolinatags African-Americans, Race-Relations, Slavery

    According to the Raleigh Star, in 1840 the colonial government of Trinidad, a possession of Great Britain, began to offer financial aid to any people of African descent who wished to move to the island. The law was passed in order to speed the economic development of the island, but it had a second effect of encouraging freed slaves in the United States to emigrate. This gave free blacks an alternative...

  9. Charleston Doctor addresses Board of Health on Yellow Fever
    date October 18, 1839map CHARLESTON, South Carolinatags Health/Death, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    In October of 1839, Thomas Y. Simons addressed the Charleston Board of Health on the history and causes of the Yellow Fever. He addressed the various names and reports from the areas the port city would have contacted on a regular basis. The disease was referred to by sailors sometimes as “black vomit.' This name being from the occurrence approximately three to four days after contracting...

  10. Institution of the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind School
    date October 10, 1839map AUGUSTA, Virginiatags Economy, Politics, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    An article in the Staunton Spectator informed its readers that the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind School would open for admission in November of 1840. It was located in Staunton, Virginia. The article further informed its readers of the logistical information it had acquired regarding the new institution. Annual tuition would be 120. The School also required that each pupil enroll for a minimum of two years....

  11. Augusta County and the Election of 1840
    date March 5, 1840 to May 23, 1840map AUGUSTA, Virginiatags Government, Politics, Slavery

    It is not hard to fathom why Augusta County, Virginia showed overwhelming support for the Harrison/Tyler ballot in the Election of 1840. One of the newspapers that circulated in Augusta County, the Staunton Spectator, commented on the results of the county's nomination for president. The Spectator was certain that their nomination of William Harrison and John Tyler would receive a hearty...

  12. The South Views the Foundation of the Liberty Party
    date April, 1840map CHARLESTON, South Carolinatags Church/Religious-Activity

    Gerrit Smith, a wealthy New Yorker, was a leading member of the abolitionist cause and desired for his movement to take the fight more aggressively and effectively in to American politics by forming a national party based on an abolitionist platform. He, along with Lewis Tappan and others formed the Liberty Party in April of 1840. The founders chose James Birney and Thomas Earle to run for president...

  13. 1840 North Carolina Gubernatorial Campaign and Election
    date January 1, 1840 to August 1, 1840map WAKE, North Carolinatags Economy

    The 1840 gubernatorial campaign in North Carolina featured John Morehead, a Whig, and the Democratic Judge Romulus Saunders. The Whigs had won the previous election in 1836 and once again emphasized government-supported economic development in their platform. Paralleling the national election campaign, the parties focused personal attacks on each others' candidates and trumpeted their records...

  14. Democratic National Convention Meets in Baltimore, Maryland.
    date May 5, 1840 to May 6, 1840map BALTIMORE, Marylandtags Agriculture, Economy, Slavery

    On May 5th and 6th the Democratic Convention met in Baltimore to prepare for the national election campaign. The delegates unanimously renominated President Martin Van Buren of New York, but the subject of the Vice-Presidential nomination brought a “marked diversity of opinion, and a spirited encounter.' Several delegations from the West pushed for the selection of Colonel Richard M....

  15. Governor Claiborne Remembered 23 Years After Death...
    date January 20, 1840 to August, 1840map ORLEANS, Louisianatags New Orleans, Government, Politics, Urban Society, Governor Claiborne, Law, Urban-Life/Boosterism, War, Battle of New Orleans

    All the earth stood silent on December 20, 1803, as the Mississippi territorial governor rode in on the streets of New Orleans. Beautiful women adorned the balconies that hung over the Place d' Armes. Each country, represented by its own amount of officials and military, watched as the France flag descended and the American flag ascended succinctly down the pole, meeting halfway to acknowledge...

  16. Sam Forwood's Definition of the Southern Family
    date May 7, 1840map CLARKE, Alabamatags African-Americans, Church/Religious-Activity, Health/Death, Economy, Race-Relations, Slavery

    On May 7, 1840, Sam Forwood, in Clark County, Alabama, wrote to his son William on the health of his family. Numerous family letters focused on health. In this correspondence, the first paragraph tended to discuss the health of all members of the family and the history of any sicknesses since the last letter. The Forwood family was generally in sufficient health, despite a fever here and there....

  17. Southerners Respond to Reports of British Cotton Schemes
    date March 1, 1840 to July 29, 1840map CHARLESTON, South Carolinatags Economy, Slavery

    In March of 1840, the Southern Cabinet of Agriculture, Horticulture, Rural and Domestic Economy included an article saying “our readers are aware, no doubt, that certain parties in England have lately brought up a question as to this subject, which materially concerns this country; viz. whether there is any probability that England can hereafter raise her own supplies of the raw material for...

  18. Yellow Fever Ravages the South
    date July 15, 1839 to September 30, 1839map MOBILE, Alabamatags Health/Death, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    A common problem in American history until the 20th Century, Yellow Fever raged in cities across America ranging from Philadelphia to New Orleans. In September of 1839 the Newbern Spectator of North Carolina reported the conditions in Mobile. The papers of Mobile gave notice that only a once-weekly publishing rate was achievable during the plague. Death tolls were high, by any standards, including...

  19. Imposition of Colonization
    date August, 1839map NORFOLK CITY, Virginiatags African-Americans, Church/Religious-Activity, Law, Migration/Transportation, Race-Relations, Slavery

    At the passing of John R. Rix of Raleigh, NC, eighteen of his slaves were freed from bondage on the condition that they boarded a ship sailing from Norfolk, VA to the west coast of Africa. One of the eighteen took a stand against these terms, and was resold into slavery. The idea for the resettlement of blacks in Africa began as a way for whites to rid themselves of African American presence to...

  20. Raising the Stakes in Southern Culture
    date August 12, 1839map NELSON, Virginiatags Arts/Leisure

    Gambling has played a significant role in southern culture since the colonial period and still is an important part of our society today. During the 1830s and 1840s in central Virginia, betting and gambling were indicators of social status within the community. Those who bet on card games and dice were seen a part of the wealthy class. They had much more money and therefore were able to toss it...

  21. Presidential Election Campaign
    date January 1, 1840 to November 23, 1840map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Slavery

    The 1840 presidential election campaign pitted the Whig ticket of William Henry Harrison and John Tyler against the sitting Democratic President Martin Van Buren. The parties spent much of their energy courting the South. Each tried to present itself as the protector of southern interests, emphasizing its candidates' “southern-ness' and anti-abolition credentials. Van Buren, running...

  22. The World Antislavery Convention: From Emancipation to Women's Rights
    date June, 1840 to 1840map Europe, Outside US, SENECA, New Yorktags London, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Seneca Falls Convention, Women's Rights Movement., William Lloyd Garrison, Abolition, Anti-slavery

    For ten days in June 1840, abolitionists from both sides of the Atlantic met together at the World Antislavery Convention in Freemason’s Hall in London, England.  The purpose of the convention was to better organize and unite international abolitionist forces in the fight for emancipation.  Ironically, while championing the freedom of black slaves, the convention reinforced a different type...

  23. Vestry Meeting in Bedford County, Virginia
    date July 27, 1839map BEDFORD, Virginiatags Church/Religious-Activity

    Religion permeated every aspect of nineteenth century life for many Southerners. The congregations of St. Stephan's Episcopal and Trinity Churches of Bedford County, Virginia were no different. In the minutes of St. Stephan's Episcopal and Trinity Churches' vestry meeting, the close bond between pastor and congregation was more than apparent. Although their pastor, Reverend Nicholas...

  24. Visiting Washington
    date June 26, 1840map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Arts/Leisure, Economy, Migration/Transportation, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    Richard Champion Rawlins arrived in Washington D.C. from Baltimore on Friday June 26, 1840. He made the 40 mile journey by railway; this was Mr. Rawlins first time in Washington. Traveling was not as accessible when Richard Rawlins was a child. Therefore, this trip to Washington was a thrill for him. After registering at the Gadsby's Hotel in Washington, Rawlins journeyed down to the capital....

  25. Today is an era in my life- Big day in Washington
    date June 30, 1840map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Arts/Leisure, Government, Politics

    On Tuesday June 30, 1840, Mr. Richard Rawlins continued his stay in the nation's capital. However, this day in Washington was not your typical day. He started his diary entry by stating, Today is an era in my life. In this one day, Mr. Rawlins was able to see the Declaration of Independence, call on and present letters of introduction and converse with Henry Clay as well as John Quincy Adams....