Question

the plantation elite designed and enacted an elaborate system of laws and customs that gave masters total legal power over slaves. in these laws, slaves were defined as ______.
a. servants
b. indentured
c. laborers
d. chattel
e. children

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• A. Servants: Have more rights than slaves, so incorrect.
• B. Indentured: Indentured servants have a contract and eventual freedom, unlike slaves. Incorrect.
• C. Laborers: Laborers can be free or have rights, slaves are property, so incorrect.
• D. Chattel: Slaves were legally defined as chattel (property) in plantation-era laws, giving masters total power. Correct.
• E. Children: Slaves weren’t defined as children (though some were children, the legal definition was property). Incorrect.

Answer:

D. chattel