AP Success - AP US History: Runaway Slave Ads in Colonial America
Runaway Slave Ads , 1705 and 1731."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"
Question 1
The runaway slave advertisements from 1705 and 1731 most directly reflect which of the following aspects of colonial American society?
The existence of slavery in the northern colonies
The prevalence of indentured servitude in the southern colonies
The dominance of cash crop agriculture in New England
The implementation of the headright system to encourage settlement
Question 2
The details provided in the runaway slave advertisements, such as clothing descriptions and language abilities, were primarily intended to:
Advertise the skills and trades of the slaves for potential buyers
Demonstrate the wealth and status of the slave owners
Provide evidence for legal proceedings against those who aided the escape
Assist in the identification and capture of the runaway slaves
Question 3
The mention of a 'forg'd Pass' in the 1731 advertisement suggests that runaway slaves:
Were often literate and capable of creating their own passes
Sometimes used false documents to facilitate their escape
Were frequently caught and punished for carrying counterfeit currency
Required official permission to travel between different colonies
Question 4
The rewards offered for the return of the runaway slaves in these advertisements indicate that:
Most runaway slaves were able to successfully gain their freedom
Slaves were considered valuable property by their owners
The colonial government mandated fixed rewards for captured runaways
Community members were generally supportive of slave liberation efforts
Question 5
The reference to 'Mr. Joseph Brown Distiller, near Mr. Waldo’s Stillhouse in Boston' in the 1731 advertisement is indicative of:
The prevalence of alcohol production as a primary industry in Boston
The use of public buildings as common points for slave auctions
The interconnected nature of colonial economies and social networks
The role of religious institutions in the enforcement of slave laws
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