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Slaves as far back as history records have always been treated as property due to the possessive nature of slavery.

A slave, by definition if forced to work for someone against their will. By that very nature, the slave is owned by the person or people that enforce their will upon the slave. In a dark twist, in history, this hasn't been ideal for the slave owner as a matter of liability for their slaves. (e.g. A slave escapes, steals a horse, horse is killed in the process of capturing the slave, and the owner of the horse sued the slave owner for damages.) Twisting even further as this also placed a limited check on the slave owners to make sure that slave riots\rebellions did not happen as they may be held liable for damages. For some slaves this may have improved conditions (to deter running) and for others worsened conditions (more brutal tactics to prevent rebellion).

As a matter of law, when two slave owners would be in diagreement over a slave, the possessive nature of slavery more then likely made treating a slave as a piece of property a matter of legal convience and reuse existing livestock law.

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13y ago
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6mo ago

Slaves were considered property because they were seen as commodities that could be bought, sold, and owned by others. This dehumanizing view allowed slave owners to exploit slaves for labor and economic gain without regard for their humanity or rights. This legal classification reinforced the power dynamics of slavery and justified the oppressive treatment of enslaved individuals.

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Q: Why were slaves considered property?
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What were Slaves are counted as?

slaves were viewed as property not as people


What were the rights of the slaves before the civil war?

Slaves had no rights - they were considered "property"


What were slaves considered back in the early to mid-1800s?

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Marriage. Since property had no rights (and slaves were considered property), a marriage between slaves was not recognized.


What the term that refers to slaves that do not have the right to own property.?

The term that refers to slaves that do not have the right to own property is chattel slavery. Chattel slaves are considered property themselves and have no legal rights to own assets or possessions.


Did the slaves in the colony of Virginia have and rights?

A slave- in ANY state- was considered property. Property does not have rights.


Why slaves runway from plantation?

They were SLAVES and forced to work. They were considered property. I would run away too.


Why did the government have a policy to return slaves to their masters?

Because they were considered to be "property."


What were slaves considered as by law?

Slaves were considered property by law, not as individuals with legal rights or personhood. They did not have the freedom to make decisions about their own lives and were subject to the will of their owners.


What said slave were property?

Historical information shows that for thousands of years slaves were considered property by the Ancient world.


What rights did slaves have violated?

Non, slaves had no rights. They were considered property. However, by modern standards, they had all their rights violated.


What are Chattel slaves?

Chattel slaves are individuals treated as property with no rights or freedoms of their own. They can be bought, sold, and inherited as part of personal property. This system of slavery was prevalent in the United States before the Civil War, where slaves were considered legal property of their owners.