Slave states refer to those states within the United States where slavery was legal and practiced. These states allowed the ownership, buying, selling, and forced labor of African Americans as slaves.
Related terms
Fugitive Slave Act: A federal law passed in 1850 that required escaped slaves to be returned to their owners even if they reached free states.
Missouri Compromise: A legislative agreement in 1820 that admitted Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state, aiming to maintain balance between both sides.
Dred Scott Decision: A Supreme Court ruling in 1857 that denied citizenship rights to enslaved individuals and stated that Congress had no power to regulate slavery in U.S. territories.