Slavery By Law: How American Laws Created, Protected, and Prolonged Human Bondage

By Elaine Cannon

Slavery by Law: How American Laws Created, Protected, and Prolonged Human Bondage

Slavery in America was more than a practice-it was a legal system. Laws determined who could be enslaved, made bondage hereditary, permitted the sale and separation of families, and punished people who sought freedom.

In Slavery by Law, Dr. Elaine Cannon traces this history from the colonial era through the Constitution, the Civil War, emancipation, and slavery's legal aftermath. Across 37 chapters, she examines slave codes, fugitive slave laws, constitutional compromises, landmark court decisions, and the struggles of people who challenged their enslavement.

The book also explores how Black Codes, convict leasing, and debt peonage restricted freedom after abolition. Chronologies, statutory excerpts, historical maps, a glossary, and discussion questions help readers understand the relationship between law, power, and human rights.

Written in accessible language, Slavery by Law invites readers to confront what American law authorized, recognize the courage of those who resisted, and consider what justice requires of the nation today.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HNQVYCB4
• ISBN13: 9798163041381
• Release Date: October 2026
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 235 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"