Was there slavery in Delaware or what was the attitude towards it?

Answer 1

Yes there was slavery in Delaware for a surprisingly long time. In the early days, the Delaware colony was dominated by the Swedes, and they did have slaves-- but most were natives (then called Indians). When the Dutch took over the colony, they brought in slaves from Africa. Sadly, some farmers and plantation owners defended the right to keep slaves, but not everyone agreed. In fact, a strong abolitionist movement emerged in Delaware, and later, the city of Wilmington became a stop on the "Underground Railroad."

The debate over slavery became very intense in Delaware during the mid-1700s, but by 1787, slavery was on the way to becoming illegal, as more slaves were being set free. Unfortunately, the process was slow because there was considerable resistance from the owners, who relied on the unpaid labor that blacks provided; however, public sentiment was turning against slavery and a growing number of people were opposed to it. Still, it wasn't until the 1840s that slavery finally came to an end in Delaware.