Slave codes were laws enacted in the American colonies and later in the United States to control and regulate enslaved people. These codes restricted the rights and freedoms of slaves, enforcing their servitude and preventing them from gaining autonomy. They also defined the legal status of enslaved individuals and enforced punishments for various offenses.
Under slave codes, it was legal for slaveowners to own, buy, sell, and trade enslaved individuals as property. Enslaved people were denied basic human rights, such as the ability to marry legally, own property, or access education. Additionally, slave codes often included harsh punishments for enslaved individuals who attempted to escape or disobey their owners. These laws were designed to maintain the institution of slavery and control the enslaved population.
Colonial authorities feared trouble, so they wrote slavecodes. Under the codes, enslaved people could not meet in large numbers, own weapons, or leave a plantation without permission. It also became illegal to teach enslaved African- Americans to read or write.