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AP Success - AP US History: Runaway Slaves

Slave Codes in the colonies guaranteed the return of enslaved people in the case they ran away. For that reason, if they ever ran away, enslavers would publish ads in newspapers asking for information on a runaway enslaved laborer.

Source 1

Ran-away from Mr. Joseph Knowlton of Newport on Rhode-Island, Housewright, on the 1st of April last, a Negro Man Servant, named Cuffee, about 28 Years of Age, a pretty tall Fellow, speaks broken English, is of a very black colour, & has several marks in his Face, wears a Cap & a good Hat, he took with him a large Bundle of Clothing, a broad Cloth Coat lin’d with blue a dark colour’d Duroy Fly, a light colour’d Duffle great Coat white Flannel Jacket, a Seersucker one, a Silk one &c. Whoever shall take up said Runaway, & him safely convey to his said Master at Newport or to Mr. Joseph Brown Distiller, near Mr. Waldo’s Stillhouse in Boston, shall have Forty Shillings Reward & all necessary Charges paid. Tis suppos’d the said Negro has a forg’d Pass & designs to get off to Sea. -New England Weekly Journal. 1731 Ran-away from his Master William Pepperil Esqr. at Kittery, in the Province of Maine, a Negro Man-Slave named Peter, aged about 20, speaks good English, of pretty brown Complexion, middle Stature, has'on a mixt gray home-spun Coat, white home spun Jacket and Breeches, French fall Shoes, fad coloured Stockings, or a mixt worsted pair, and a black Hat. Whosoever shall take up said Negro, and bring or convey him safe to his said master, or secure him and send notice of him either to his Master, or to Andrew Belcher Esqr. at Boston, shall be well rewarded for his pains, and all reasonable charges paid besides. -Boston News-Letter, 1705

Runaway Slave Ads , 1705 and 1731.

Question 1

Short answer

Briefly identify one economic incentive for capturing runaway slaves as expressed in the excerpt.

Question 2

Short answer

Briefly explain one economic reason that made recovering slaves essential to English colonists.

Question 3

Short answer

Briefly explain one reason why it was difficult for runaway slaves to stay free for long.

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