: 1775 — The Revolutionary War between the Colonies and Britain begins. 1776 —Declaration of Independence written; the 13 colonies become the 13 states, but are not yet united under one central government.
The passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850 made it legal for slaveholders to pursue escaped slaves into any state or territory in the union. This meant that runaway slaves now had to reach Canada to avoid the threat of recapture.
