Question

which of the following statements about slavery in the early 19th century is true?

a.) the federal government abolished the international slave trade in 1808, but slavery expanded nonetheless.

b.) gradual emancipation was instituted in 1808 in the south to help its economy transition away from slavery.

c.) after 1808, enslaved people could no longer buy their freedom.

d.) slavery in the united states was made illegal in 1808, but southern states ignored federal law.

Explanation:

Analyze the 1808 slave trade ban

The United States Constitution permitted Congress to ban the importation of enslaved people starting in 1808. Congress passed the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, which went into effect on January 1, 1808. This officially ended the legal international slave trade to the United States.

Evaluate the expansion of slavery

Despite the ban on importing new enslaved people from Africa, the institution of slavery expanded dramatically in the early 19th century. This growth was driven by the natural reproduction of the enslaved population and the rapid rise of the domestic slave trade, which relocated enslaved people from the Upper South to the Deep South to fuel the booming cotton economy (Antebellum Slavery Debates).

Assess the incorrect options

• Option (b) is incorrect because Southern states did not institute gradual emancipation in 1808; instead, they doubled down on agricultural slavery.
• Option (c) is incorrect because while laws became increasingly restrictive, some enslaved individuals could still occasionally purchase their freedom or be manumitted, though it became much harder.
• Option (d) is incorrect because slavery itself was not made illegal in the United States in 1808, only the international importation of enslaved people.

Answer:

• a.) The federal government abolished the international slave trade in 1808, but slavery expanded nonetheless. (Correct answer)
• b.) Gradual emancipation was instituted in 1808 in the South to help its economy transition away from slavery.
• c.) After 1808, enslaved people could no longer buy their freedom.
• d.) Slavery in the United States was made illegal in 1808, but Southern states ignored federal law.