Final answer:
In 1772, Edward Long's view, as aligned with the British court's perspective, was that enslaved Africans were considered property, not free individuals or citizens, within the British Empire's legal framework.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Edward Long, the British court viewed enslaved Africans as property in 1772. This view was reflective of the broader societal and legal norms of the time, where slavery was deeply entrenched within the British Empire and formed a crucial part of its economic and social structure.
The British and colonial legal systems recognized slaves as property, and this perspective was also evident in the language of the United States Constitution, which protected slavery and considered slaves as property that needed to be protected by the Federal Government. The contrast between the rights of free individuals and the enslaved was stark, with enslaved Africans lacking the civil liberties and status granted to free British subjects.