Paine and Gradual Emancipation Laws

A 1662 Virginia law established hereditary slavery, meaning that children born to enslaved mothers would also be enslaved for life, regardless of their father's status.

A legal principle stating that children inherit the status of their mother, which was used to solidify hereditary slavery in Virginia.

Free Black people in the early 17th century in Virginia and Maryland possessed certain rights, such as owning land, filing lawsuits, and participating in some aspects of colonial society.

The story of Anthony Johnson exemplifies the complex reality of race and ownership in early colonial America, showing a former slave becoming a successful landowner and slaveholder.

Richard Carter III, a wealthy Virginian, decided to gradually emancipate over 400 slaves he owned in 1796, showcasing a rare instance of slave emancipation in the 18th century.

Thomas Paine argued that staying connected to Britain would lead to conflict, while gaining independence would create a more just government focused on democratic ideals.

Paine believed that by separating from Britain, the American colonists would have the opportunity to establish a new and more just political order.

The American Revolution did not instantly abolish slavery. Gradual emancipation laws were implemented in several northern states, allowing enslaved people born after a certain date to gain freedom upon reaching a specific age.

These laws aimed to balance revolutionary ideals with property rights. They allowed for gradual emancipation, but did not immediately end slavery, reflecting the complexities of societal change and the recognition of slavery as a form of property ownership.

These laws often had provisions for delayed freedom, requiring enslaved people to wait until they reached a certain age before gaining their freedom.

The 1830 census revealed that there were still 3,500 slaves in the North. The last slaves in Connecticut did not become free until 1848, and 18 elderly slaves still resided in New Jersey in 1860. This highlights the slow pace of emancipation and the enduring presence of slavery even after the Revolution.

Voluntary manumission was the legal process by which slave owners could free their enslaved people. Robert Carter III, a wealthy Virginian planter, is a notable example of someone who freed many of his enslaved people through voluntary manumission.

The 1799 law in New York stated that a male child born to a slave mother after July 4, 1799 would be free after turning 28, while a female child would be free after turning 25. Similar delayed emancipation laws were implemented in other states, with varying age requirements for freedom.