In what year did the United States officially end the slave trade?

The United States officially ended the slave trade in 1808, aligning with the provisions of the Constitution that allowed Congress to prohibit the importation of slaves after twenty years. This decision was a result of growing abolitionist sentiments and the recognition of the moral issues surrounding the transatlantic slave trade.

Although the Constitution was ratified in 1788, the specific clause provided a 20-year window before the federal government could regulate or ban the trade, leading to the formal abolition in 1808. This act did not eliminate slavery itself—slavery continued to exist in the United States, especially in the southern states—but it marked an important legislative step towards reducing the crowded slave markets and addressing the inhumane aspects of slave importation.

The other years proposed in the question do not accurately reflect the timeline of the slave trade's termination. For instance, 1776 marks the year of the Declaration of Independence, and while it initiated a discourse on freedom, it did not address slavery in formal legislation. The year 1800 is too early as Congress had not yet enacted the ban, and 1810 is also too late, as the trade was already illegal by that point. Thus, the year 1808 is significant as it