# What was the legal status of individual slaves in the antebellum era?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-legal-status-of-individual-slaves-in-the-antebellum-era/741801>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 31, 2015, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-legal-status-of-individual-slaves-in-the-antebellum-era/741801 "2015-12-31T05:12:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-legal-status-of-individual-slaves-in-the-antebellum-era/741801/21 "2016-01-01T02:49:59Z")

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> [@SlackerInc](#):
>
> Got it.
> 
> What if the third offense was 25 days?

A man has two ears.

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**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-legal-status-of-individual-slaves-in-the-antebellum-era/741801/22 "2016-01-01T07:11:06Z")

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> [@nani](#):
>
> Debunkings of the idea that slavery in a particular time/place had reduced slaves to the literal status of livestock are pretty classic strawman arguments used to morally excuse slavery in not just the American south, but elsewhere in the New World, in Islamic countries, in ancient Rome, and far beyond. Everywhere slavery existed it was “more complicated” than that but everywhere it existed it was condemnable. I’m glad that the person mentioned in the OP reacted the way he did.

I hope you’re not imputing that motive to me!

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**Author:** ![nani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nani)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-legal-status-of-individual-slaves-in-the-antebellum-era/741801/23 "2016-01-01T10:05:09Z")

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> [@SlackerInc](#):
>
> I hope you’re not imputing that motive to me!

Absolutely not, and to no one in this thread. Sorry for the confusion! I have met people who have found things like the former confederate flag supporter in the OP whose reaction was “oh, see, slavery wasn’t really so bad, they had protections”. I just wanted to say that I’m glad he seems to have not had that reaction.

Apologies again!

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**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-legal-status-of-individual-slaves-in-the-antebellum-era/741801/24 "2016-01-01T10:13:18Z")

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No problem. 🙂

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