1. The Law When It Came to Slavery By: Jesse, Amy, Andrew, Leanne, Alexis

2. Who were some people who enforced slave laws? Slave masters were the main force in punishing slaves. These men had no empathy when it came to punishing slaves. Some laws even allowed masters to “accidently” kill their slaves while punishing them.

3. Abraham Lincoln Lincoln’s first impression of slavery was as a child. His parents moved to a non-slavery state to avoid the pain and hardship the slaves were going through. His political influence in America helped abolish slavery.

4. Why was slavery allowed under the U.S. Constitution? It was not black and white in the Constitution that slavery was legal, but people owned slaves anyway. People felt they could treat other human beings with a different skin color like a piece of property and most of America didn’t see the wrong in that way of thinking. Some Americans didn’t think the “all men are created” phrase in the Declaration of Independence applied to slaves because they didn’t have a part in the founding of America.

5. What slave laws were most enforced? There were many laws involving slavery, but the ones most often used were slave codes. These codes were a list of very detailed rules restricting slaves and listing the consequences for breaking them. For instance, if any slave is caught with a weapon of any kind he or she will receive 29 lashes on his or her bare back.

6. Fugitive Slave Law The Fugitive Slave Act was part of a group of laws referred to as the compromise of 1850. They required all citizens to help catch runaway slaves. It also allowed any suspected runaway slave to be arrested without a warrant.

7. What were the consequences for breaking slave laws? Most of these punishments were listed in slave/black codes. Here are examples: If a slave is caught teaching another slave how to read or write he or she will receive 39 lashes on his or her bare back. If a slave shall appear to have been properly clothed and fed, they would be convicted of stealing corn, cattle, hogs, or other goods from any person not the owner of the slave.

8. What were the consequences for breaking slave laws? They would even get punished for incorrectly sweeping the floor. Punishments were very harsh when it came to slavery. The harshest punishments were branding, tar and feathering, kicking, ducking under water, and getting put into stocks.

9. Bibliography/Credit Page www.pbs.org www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org www.nationalcenter.org www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk www.debtoutof.com www.library.syr.edu www.library.syr.eduwww.library.syr.edu