Paine and Gradual Emancipation Laws

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Questions and Answers

What significant change occurred with the Virginia law of 1662 regarding slavery?

It abolished the practice of indentured servitude.

It established that children of enslaved mothers would also be enslaved. (correct)

It allowed free Blacks to own white slaves.

It enabled slaves to sue for their freedom.

What privileges did free Blacks have in Virginia and Maryland during the early 1600s?

They were exempt from all taxes.

They could not associate with white individuals.

They were allowed to vote in local elections.

They could own land and participate in court proceedings. (correct)

How did the status of free Blacks and their rights change over time?

They were allowed to form their own governments.

They gained equal rights to white landowners permanently.

They began to exclude whites from their communities.

They had fewer privileges as racial distinctions became entrenched. (correct)

What does the term 'partus sequitur ventrem' refer to in the context of slavery?

The principle that a child takes the status of the mother. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects Anthony Johnson's unique position in early Virginia society?

He was an example of a free Black who became a slave owner. Signup and view all the answers

What did Thomas Paine argue would happen to the colonists if they remained part of the British Empire?

They would suffer constant conflict and oppression. Signup and view all the answers

According to Thomas Paine, what opportunity arose from the colonists' separation from Britain?

The opportunity to form a new, politically just order. Signup and view all the answers

Which gradual emancipation law allowed male children born to slave mothers after a specific date to gain freedom at age 28?

Pennsylvania's 1780 law. Signup and view all the answers

What was a common characteristic of the gradual emancipation laws in the Northern states?

They included specific age requirements for freedom. Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the 1830 census regarding slavery in the North?

It revealed thousands of slaves still lived in the North. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following pairs female children born to slave mothers with their respective legal freedom age according to New York's 1799 law?

25 years old. Signup and view all the answers

What was Robert Carter III known for in relation to slavery?

Voluntary manumission of a significant number of slaves. Signup and view all the answers

What did the last paragraph of Common Sense propose for the American colonists?

A manifesto for independence. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Paine's Reasons for Colonial Separation

Paine argued that remaining in the British Empire would lead to conflict.
Paine believed independence would allow for a better government system.
Paine envisioned a new, politically just order through separation.
Paine, in Common Sense, advocated for a new system of government.

Gradual Emancipation Laws

Pennsylvania (1780), New York (1799), and New Jersey (1804) enacted gradual emancipation laws.
These laws aimed to balance revolutionary ideals with property rights, but did not ensure immediate freedom.
Gradual emancipation laws, while intended to phase out slavery, did not promptly eliminate it in the North.
Despite these laws, the 1830 census revealed 3,500 slaves in the North. Connecticut's last slaves were freed in 1848, and 18 elderly slaves remained in New Jersey in 1860.

Specific Provisions of Gradual Emancipation Laws

New York (1799): Male children born to enslaved mothers after July 4, 1799, were free at age 28; female children, at 25.
New Jersey (1804): Male children born after July 4, 1804, gained freedom at 25; females at 21.
Pennsylvania (1780): Male children born after 1780 gained freedom at 28; females at 21.

Voluntary Manumission and Robert Carter III

Robert Carter III, a wealthy Virginian, provided for the gradual emancipation of over 400 enslaved people.

Anthony Johnson and Race/Ownership in the 1600s

Anthony Johnson, a formerly enslaved person, became a slave owner and landowner in the early 1600s, illustrating the complexities of race and ownership during that period.
Anthony Johnson shows how a former slave could attain ownership of land and slaves.

Free Blacks' Privileges (1600s)

Free blacks in Virginia and Maryland could own land, sue, and participate in colonial society.
Eventually, racial rules restricted these rights.
In early colonial America, black and white laborers worked together.

Virginia's 1662 Law

Virginia's 1662 law established hereditary slavery, stating that children of enslaved mothers were also enslaved.

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Description

Explore the arguments presented by Thomas Paine for colonial separation from Britain, as outlined in his work, Common Sense. Additionally, delve into the gradual emancipation laws in the Northern states, examining their intent and impact on slavery from 1780 onward.