On March 2, 1807, the U.S. Congress passed the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves. The law made it illegal to import enslaved people into the United States beginning on January 1, 1808. This action followed a long debate over the transatlantic slave trade and reflected changing views, especially in some northern states. However, slavery itself remained legal inside the country and continued to expand in the South. Illegal smuggling of enslaved people also continued despite the law. The act was an important step that signaled eventual moves toward abolition, even though it did not end slavery.
