Legally Property

Definition

Legally property refers to the legal status of individuals who are considered owned by others, without any personal rights or freedoms. This term specifically relates to the system of labor that was common in the South before the Civil War, where enslaved African Americans were considered as property.

Related terms

Chattel Slavery: Chattel slavery is a related term that describes the legal institution in which individuals are bought, sold, and owned as property for life.

Slaveholders: Slaveholders were individuals who legally owned enslaved people and held power over their lives.

Abolitionists: Abolitionists were activists who fought against slavery and advocated for its complete abolition.