Domestic slave trade

Laws and restrictions for slaves in the 18th and 19th century (KB)

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  • New York Act

    New York Act
    New York passes an act to regulate slaves and it imposed many restrictions on them. Slaves were unable to trade amongst each other, they were unable to testify against whites in court, and it was now illegal for slaves to gather in groups of more than three in any public place. This is one of many acts passed by the colonies that restricted slaves and declared them as unequal. Peter Ling, "Slavery and Freedom: Slave Law in the Americas," History 76, no 248 (October 1991).

  • Code Noir

    Code Noir
    Code Noir was passed by France's King Louis XIV in Louisiana and was the first set of laws that governed both slaves and free blacks. This decree aimed to Christianize all slaves and it also specified the conditions of slavery and emancipated slaves. This was the first act of the time that restricted and enforced laws on free blacks in addition to the slave restrictions. Innocent Futcha, "The Black Code," UNESCO Courier 47, no. 10 (October 1994):19.

  • Revolutionary War

    Revolutionary War
    George Washington had initially banned free blacks and slaves in the army. A few months later, he reversed the ban and free blacks were enlisted in the army to serve in the Revolutionary War. This was seen as controversial because these men were fighting and dying for a country that did not represent them or see them as equal citizens. Joseph Ellis, "Washington Takes Charge," Smithsonian 35, no. 10 (January 2005): 92-103.

  • Emancipation Law

    Emancipation Law
    Pennsylvania became one of the first states to initiate "Gradual Emancipation." This was one of the first acts of the United States Government to abolish slavery entirely. This act allowed for children who are born to slaves after November 1, 1780, to be free on their 28th birthday. This is a step in the right direction, but it will be many years before slavery will be abolished indefinitely. Peter Ling, "Slavery and Freedom: Slave Law in the Americas," History 76, no. 248 (October 1991).

  • Fugitive Slave Law

    Fugitive Slave Law
    The Fugitive Slave Act law was a Federal Act that outlaws any efforts to assist fugitive or runaway slaves. Anyone who aided runaway slaves were subject to fines and prison sentences. This act also required the return of captured slaves back to the state in which they escaped. These harsh consequences helped inspire and influence the Underground Railroad to help fugitive slaves escape. Peter Ling, "Slavery and Freedom: Slave Law in the Americas," History 76, no. 248 (October 1991).

  • Slave Importation Ban

    Slave Importation Ban
    The United States bans the importation of African slaves. Illegal smuggling continues as the ban is largely ignored and African shipments of slaves still arrive until the Civil War and when slavery is officially outlawed in 1865. Steven Deyle, "The Closing of the African Slave Trade and the Changing Patterns of U.S. Political Power, 1808-60," William and Mary Quarterly 66, no.4 (October 2009): 833.