Final answer:
The Mississippi Black Codes were laws that limited the freedoms of freedmen after the Civil War. These codes restricted basic rights and mobility, preventing integration and perpetuating a system similar to slavery. For example, intermarriage between races was punished with a life sentence in prison.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Mississippi Black Codes were a set of laws that limited the freedoms of freedmen after the Civil War. These codes were designed to maintain racial hierarchy and prevent racial integration. They denied basic rights to freedmen, such as the right to bear arms, vote, serve on juries, co-mingle with whites, leave their employer's premises without permission, and own property in certain areas.
For example, the Black Code of Mississippi punished intermarriage between races with a life sentence in prison. These codes effectively restricted the rights and mobility of freedmen, perpetuating a system similar to slavery under a different name.