Slavery in the United States was one of the most significant and troubling aspects of American history, existing for more than two centuries before it was finally abolished following the Civil War. Enslaved African Americans were bought and sold as property, forced to work without pay, and denied basic human rights under a system that shaped the economy, politics, and society of the nation. The struggle to end slavery drove the country toward the Civil War and laid the groundwork for the long fight for civil rights that followed. Click below to learn more about specific topics related to the history of slavery in the United States.