▁River ▁just ▁north ▁of ▁Wil ming ton ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 4 . ▁His ▁Du P ont ▁firm ▁( now ▁the ▁world ' s ▁fourth ▁largest ▁chemical ▁company ) ▁was ▁the ▁U . S . ▁military ' s ▁largest ▁supp lier ▁of ▁gun pow der ▁by ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁and ▁his ▁descend ants , ▁the ▁du ▁Pont ▁family , ▁are ▁now ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁rich est ▁and ▁most ▁successful ▁families ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁The ▁oldest ▁African ▁American ▁church ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁was ▁char tered ▁in ▁Del aware ▁by ▁former ▁slave ▁Peter ▁Sp encer ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 3 ▁as ▁the ▁" Union ▁Church ▁of ▁Afr icans ", ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁A . U . M . P . ▁Church . ▁The ▁Big ▁August ▁Qu arter ly ▁which ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁is ▁still ▁celebrated ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁such ▁cultural ▁festival ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁▁ ▁The ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Del aware ▁Canal ▁between ▁ 1 8 0 2 ▁and ▁ 1 8 2 9 ▁brought ▁significant ▁sh ipping ▁interests ▁to ▁Del aware , ▁expand ing ▁the ▁state ' s ▁commercial ▁opportun ities . ▁ ▁Population ▁ ▁Del aware ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁ ▁S la very ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁divis ive ▁issue ▁in ▁Del aware ▁for ▁dec ades ▁before ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁began . ▁O pp osition ▁to ▁sla very ▁in ▁Del aware , ▁imported ▁from ▁Qu aker - domin ated ▁Pennsylvania , ▁led