Runaway Slaves In Virginia

Shortly after the creation of the colonies, slavery was introduced and the colonial economy’s dependence upon it grew exponentially. The slave labor force increased southern economic prosperity, causing the growth of expansive plantations that enslaved hundreds of Africans. Virginia, one of the largest slave states, had a population of 747,610 in 1790, of which 292,627 were slaves. Due to Virginia’s heavy influence on Kentucky that was prompted by a majority of first settlers having Virginian roots, many expected Kentucky to follow suit in establishing harsh slave laws. However, Kentucky was open to influence from both its Virginian roots and expansionist Northerners attempt to establish a free state, causing many to wonder how the state would …show more content…
Others, such as Howard Victor, have argued that Kentucky laws were more lenient in with their treatment of slaves compared to those in the south, specifically Virginia. Also, they argue that Kentucky was seen as a safe-haven for runaway slaves because of their lenient laws concerning runaway slaves. The first argument is correct because there were cruel punishments that prompted Kentucky slaves to run away, refuting the notion of a safe haven in Kentucky. However, this argument fails to consider the effect Kentucky farms with few slaves created. In response to the lack of a cash crop, many slaves were on “plantations” containing on average 4 slaves, and even then the state had a majority of slaves hired-out to do jobs in agriculture, textiles, and manufacturing. This lifestyle was much more hospitable than the south, where the majority of slaves worked in the fields in high temperatures with little or poor feeding and drinking provisions. By making slaves jacks-of-all-trades and having them work beside the owners, relationships formed. By establishing connections between owner and slave, it was more common for owners to act in the best interest of his slave, since the slave was usually the only help the owner had in …show more content…
For instance, Kentucky owners of Clara Brown encouraged her to officially marry another slave on the plantation and to start a family, a custom that was not usually seen in Virginia and the south, because the immense amount of slaves in the south and the close proximity made the chances of banding together an rebelling high. Kentucky also had more tolerant laws of transportation, only requiring the handwritten note of the master. Since the majority of slaves in Kentucky had occupations outside the farm, many had the freedom to travel around the state, an activity unheard of in the south. As the shift in Kentucky’s economy no longer required a large number of slaves, slavery’s characteristics evolved as well. Legally and politically, slavery changed with the debates in 1792 where abolitionists gained power within the state government, along with changes made to the slave codes originally adopted from Virginia as seen with the emancipation article. By Kentucky’s economic shift towards agricultural diversity and small farming, the view of slaves was able to develop and encompass more humane