1662
Virginia, VA · On map
Virginia enacted a law establishing that children born to an enslaved mother would also be enslaved, codifying race-based and hereditary enslavement. This law transformed slavery from a potentially temporary condition into a permanent, intergenerational institution based on race. It reinforced the principle that slavery was inherited through the mother, ensuring the growth of the enslaved population without additional imports.
Links, uploads, and classroom context notes.
