Term paper

Submitted By majorcrisis20
Words: 641
Pages: 3

Aliyah Graham
HIST 1301
MW 9:30 a.m.­11 p.m.
10/10/2014
“Virginia Codes Regulating Servitude and Slavery (1642­1705)”
The article is mainly about acts the Virginia General Assembly created and passed to regulate the enslavement of black and white slaves. The article lists the acts that were passed in chronological order and gives a brief description of each act. These acts were passed to clear up any uncertainty of the rules and regulations of slaves and citizens. The acts served as a guide that regulated interactions between slaves and citizens.The act of
1642 was solely passed to prevent free people from fornicating and marrying servants or slaves. The punishments for breaking this act could result in the servant serving additional time under their master, and the free person could risk becoming a slave or servant. The act of 1661 was passed to prevent slaves from running away and also to prevent christians and free people from helping them escape.Punishments for breaking this act could result in the slave serving double the time they were originally given and the free person helping them to serve the slaves master also. Also, if any black slaves die on their journey with the free christian, the christian will be fined. The act passed in 1662 was created to clear any confusion on rather or not a child born to an white man and a black slave mother is considered free. The act clears up the confusion by explaining that a child is only considered free based on their mothers ethnicity. It also explains that if such event takes place and the white man happens to be christian, he will be fined. The act

passed in 1667 was created to clear up confusion on rather or not a child born a slave should be baptised. Also, if they do get baptised are they considered free.It clears up confusion by saying a slave can be baptised but will not be free after the event.The act of
1669 was created to get slaves to obey any master or mistress or risk being killed. It also states that their murderer will not face a felony charge. The act of 1680 was passed to prevent slaves from using weapons and secretly meeting up. It explains that no slave can carry any weapon on their masters property unless given permission on a certain occasion. If caught with a weapon a slave will be punished by being whipped.The act passed in 1691 was created to prevent free white men or women from intermarrying other races.