The Decline of Slavery and Technological Innovation (1776–1800s)

Vocabulary terms and historical concepts covering the decline of slavery, early industrialization, labor changes, and technological innovation in the United States from 1776 through the early 1800s.

Gradual Emancipation (1780)

The first law of its kind in the U.S., passed in 1780 by northern non-slavery states to end slavery slowly, which was later adopted by other states.

Machine Tools

Machines developed by Americans specifically designed to produce parts for other machines.

Franklin Institute

An organization founded in 1824 by the Sellars family and other mechanics that published a journal covering high-level chemistry, mathematics, and mechanical design.

Sellars Family

A family of Philadelphia inventors who contributed to technological advancement and co-founded the Franklin Institute in 1824.

Wheat and Grain Farming (1776–1800)

Agricultural shifts during the American Revolution era where grain cultivation made enslaved labor less necessary, contributing to the initial decline of slavery before the cotton boom.

Early U.S. Industrial Innovation and Labor

A system driven by technological advancement and lower-skilled, cheaper labor where women entered the workforce and skilled male artisans formed unions to protect their trades.

American Artisans (1800s)

Domestic mechanics and craftsmen whose technological advances allowed them to replace British imports.