What was colonial Massachusetts role and view of slavery?

Answer 1

Massachusetts, like many northern states, only had a small number of slaves, but this was largely due to a lack of plantations or farms, rather than due to a lack of opposition to slavery. It was a common belief amongst Christians of that time that The Bible approved of slavery, and it was also a folk belief that black people had been cursed (the so-called "Curse of Ham," referring to a myth about one of Noah's sons). Thus, the families that had house slaves generally believed they were doing the right thing.

But there were some white residents of Massachusetts who objected to the idea of one person owning another; there were also some who thought it was acceptable as long as the slave was well-treated. Thus, treatment of slaves varied: some were treated harshly, but evidence shows that many others were treated like indentured servants, or even like family members in a few cases. And although there were not a large number of slaves, there was sufficient discomfort about the idea of slavery to bring about several legal cases (slaves suing for their freedom). Finally, in 1783, the Massachusetts judiciary ruled that slavery was in fact unconstitutional. It was banned from the state at that time.