By Matthew CordovaUS History Honors

Mrs. Rice

Slavery has always been an element needed by wealthy plantation owners to help tend their fields.

Slaves, African Americans, lived in poor conditions and were forced to work strenuously or be punished.

(The Growth of Slavery in North Carolina)

(Slavery in the South)

Each Slave was to follow a strict catalog of laws that restricted their freedoms and elaborated on the actions and punishments that a slave can receive.

However, not all African Americans are slaves, very little of the black population was free. Free blacks likewise to the slaves had a set of laws to obey.

(The Growth of Slavery in North Carolina)

Slaves Free Blacks

Slaves were not able to be armed.

Slaves cannot raise stock, such as horses, pigs, cattle, chickens, etc.

Slaves were not able to teach or be taught how to read and write.

Free blacks were able to be armed.

Free blacks were allowed to raise stock; also, free blacks could even buy slaves to help with the owners stock.

Free blacks were able to be taught or teach how to read and write to other free blacks or whites, not to slaves.

(Black Codes)

Slaves Free Blacks

Slaves were not able to leave the plantation unless for doing something for the master, the slave had to have written permission.

Slaves were not allowed to preach in public

Free Blacks were able to roam free in areas of allowance, but leaving the state required to have written permission from the state in which is being left.

Free blacks likewise with the slave are not allowed to preach in public

(Black Codes)

Slaves Free Blacks

Most slaves were allowed to marry with other slaves, this was favored by masters because it produced children slaves.

Free blacks were not able to marry into other slaves.

Free blacks were not allowed to gamble with other slaves.

Free blacks were not allowed to entertain their slaves on certain times.

(Black Codes)

The slave codes were mainly created to help limit and restrict what the slaves could do.

The purpose of the slave codes seemed understandable but some rules seemed too unjust towards the slaves.

(Slavery in the South)

Some instances such as the Nat Turner rebellion greatly frightened the southern white population into being more cautious towards slaves.

Nat Turner’s rebellion helped forged a stricter set of Slave laws towards the slaves.

(Bradford, Erin)(A BRIEF HISTORY OF BLACK

HISTORY MONTH)

It is a shame that slaves were viewed as property and had to obey such a strict and unjust code, slaves should’ve been seen as people. The lack of freedoms made slave life very dull and tiresome.

Being free and black was a blessing compared to slave life, but should’ve been equal to being a white man. The only difference between a white man and an African American, is skin color.

Bradford, Erin. "Laws and Lives of Free Blacks in North Carolina: 1718-1863." Blogger. N.p., 19 Apr. 2007. Web. 1 Oct. 2010.

"A BRIEF HISTORY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH ." Amoeblog. N.p., 10 Feb. 2010. Web. 1 Oct. 2010.

"Black Codes." LEARN NC. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2010.

"The Growth of Slavery in North Carolina." LEARN NC. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2010.

"Slavery in the South." OnCourse Systems for Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2010.