Question

What were the options for land ownership among blacks in 17th-century Virginia?

A) Blacks were allowed to own land on an equal basis with whites.
B) Blacks were prohibited from owning land altogether.
C) Blacks could only own land if they were free and had obtained a special license.
D) Blacks could only own land if they were born free and had a certain level of wealth.
E) Blacks could only own land if they were indentured servants who had completed their term of service.
F) Other (please specify).

Answer 1

Blacks in 17th-century Virginia initially had the option to a. own land on an equal basis with whites, but their status changed in the last decades of the century, and they became increasingly defined as enslaved people. Harsher laws restricting black freedom were passed, and it became more common for blacks to be slaves for life.

Step-by-step explanation:

a. In 17th-century Virginia, the options for land ownership among blacks varied over time. Initially, Africans were allowed to own land on an equal basis with whites. They could work as servants and acquire land of their own. Some Africans who converted to Christianity even became free landowners with white servants.

However, in the last decades of the 17th century, the status of Africans in Virginia changed, and they were increasingly defined as enslaved people. Harsher laws restricting black freedom were passed, and it became more natural for blacks to be slaves for life.