Slave Codes

Today we are going to take a quiz (pop quiz) on the Southern Colonies and look at "Slave Codes".

South Carolina Slave Codes of 1739

1.          No slave shall be taught to write, work on Sunday, or work more than fifteen hours per day in summer and fourteen hours in winter;

2.          Willful killing of a slave exacts a fine of 700 pounds, and "passion" killing, 350 pounds;

3.          The fine for concealing runaway slaves is one thousand dollars and a prison sentence of up to one year;

4.          A fine of one hundred dollars and six months in prison are imposed for employing any Black or slave as a clerk;

5.          A fine of one hundred dollars and six months in prison are imposed on anyone selling or giving alcoholic beverages to slaves;

6.          A fine of one hundred dollars and six months in prison are imposed for teaching a slave to read and write, and death is the penalty for circulating incendiary literature; 

The Barbados slave code (1661) declared,

"If any Negro or slave whatsoever shall offer any violence to any Christian by striking or the like, such Negro or slave shall for his or her first offence be severely whipped by the Constable.

For his second offence of that nature he shall be severely whipped, his nose slit, and be burned in some part of his face with a hot iron.

And being brutish slaves, [they] deserve not, for the baseness of their condition, to be tried by the legal trial of twelve men oftheir peers, as the subjects of England are.

And it is further enacted and ordained that if any Negro or other slave under punishment by his master unfortunately shall suffer in life or member, which seldom happens, no person whatsoever shall be liable to any fine therefore."

 Slave Codes in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida – North America

South Carolina established its slave code in 1712, based on the 1688 English slave code in Barbados. The South Carolina slave code served as the model for other colonies in North America. In 1770, Georgia adopted the South Carolina slave code, and then Florida adopted the Georgia code. The 1712 South Carolina slave code included provisions such as:

    Slaves were forbidden to leave the owner's property, unless accompanied by a white person, or obtaining permission. If a slave leaves the owner's property without permission, "every white person" is required to chastise such slaves

    Any slave attempting to run away and leave the colony receives the death penalty

    Any slave who evades capture for 20 days or more is to be publicly whipped for the first offense; branded with the letter R on the right cheek for the second offense; and lose one ear if absent for thirty days for the third offense; and castrated for the fourth offense.

    Owners refusing to abide by the slave code are fined and forfeit ownership of their slaves

    Slave homes are to be searched every two weeks for weapons or stolen goods. Punishment for violations escalate to include loss of ear, branding, and nose-slitting, and for the fourth offense, death.

    No slave shall be allowed to work for pay, or to plant corn, peas or rice; or to keep hogs, cattle, or horses; or to own or operate a boat; to buy or sell; or to wear clothes finer than 'Negro cloth'

The South Carolina slave code was revised in 1739 with the following amendments:

    No slave shall be taught to write, work on Sunday, or work more than 15 hours per day in Summer, and 14 hours in Winter.

    Willful killing of a slave exacts a fine of 700 pounds, and "passion" killing 350 pounds

    The fine for concealing runaway slaves is one thousand dollars and a prison sentence of up to one year

    A fine of one hundred dollars and six months in prison are imposed for employing any Black or slave as a clerk

    A fine of one hundred dollars and six months in prison are imposed on anyone selling or giving alcoholic beverages to slaves

    A fine of one hundred dollars and six months in prison are imposed for teaching a slave to read and write, and death is the penalty for circulating incendiary literature

    Freeing a slave is forbidden, except by deed, and after 1820, only by permission of the legislature

Slave Codes in Maryland
An Act Concerning Negroes & Other Slaves

Assembly Proceedings, September 1664

Transcribed

Be it Enacted by the Right Honorable the Lord Proprietary by the advice and Consent of the upper and lower house of this present General Assembly That all Negroes or other slaves already within the Province And all Negroes and other slaves to be hereafter imported into the Province shall serve Durante Vita [Latin, “for life”]. And all Children born of any Negro or other slave shall be slaves as their fathers were for the term of their lives And forasmuch as divers freeborn English Women forgetful (continued on next page)

Transcribed

Student Resource Sheet 2 continued

of their free condition and to the disgrace of our Nation do intermarry with Negro Slaves by which also divers suits [lawsuits] may arise touching the Issue of such women and a great damage does befall the Masters of such Negroes for prevention whereof for deterring such freeborn women from such shameful Matches. Be it further Enacted by the Authority advice and Consent aforesaid That whatsoever freeborn woman shall intermarry with any slave from and after the Last day of this present Assembly shall Serve the master of such slave during the life of her husband And that all the Issue of such freeborn women so married shall be slaves as their fathers were. And Be it further Enacted that all the Issues of English or other freeborn women that have already married Negroes shall serve the Masters of their Parents till they be Thirty years of age and no longer.