Question

Over the course of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, many laws surrounding the institution of slavery were enacted and modified. In 1662, Virginia adopted a law that stated any child born in the colony would take on the status of its mother. Whether the father was an enslaved man or a White slave owner, her child would be born into slavery. Uprisings involving enslaved people were often met with severe legislation. In reaction to the Stono Rebellion, an attempted armed march to freedom in Florida by enslaved men in 1739, South Carolina passed the Negro Act of 1740. This law revoked what little rights enslaved people had. The law made it illegal for enslaved people to assemble, earn money, or learn to read or write. It also restricted their ability to move freely and allowed slave owners to kill enslaved people they considered rebellious. Furthermore, it instituted a 10-year pause on importing Africans for fear of another uprising.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between lawmakers and the civil rights of enslaved people?

A

Lawmakers could modify and revoke the civil rights afforded to enslaved people at will.

B

Lawmakers were forced to expand the civil rights of enslaved people as a result of uprisings.

C

Lawmakers were powerless to improve the civil rights of enslaved people.

D

Lawmakers granted expanded civil rights to the children of enslaved people.

Answer 1

The best option that describes the relationship between lawmakers and the civil rights of enslaved people, based on the context provided, is:

**A: Lawmakers could modify and revoke the civil rights afforded to enslaved people at will.**

This option accurately reflects how lawmakers enacted and modified laws that severely restricted the rights of enslaved individuals, such as in the case of the Negro Act of 1740.