Slavery was abolished at different times in various regions and countries:
- In the British Empire, the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in 1833 and took effect on August 1, 1834, abolishing slavery in most British colonies and freeing over 800,000 enslaved people.
- In the United States, slavery was effectively ended with the adoption of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865. The amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime.
- The Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for slaves in Confederate states in rebellion, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, but it did not end slavery nationwide. The 13th Amendment was the final legal abolition of slavery in the U.S..
- France first abolished slavery in its colonies in 1794, but it was re-established in 1802 before being finally abolished again later.
Overall, slavery was legally abolished in the British Empire in 1834 and in the United States in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment.
