* The Virginia Slave Code of 1705 made it a crime for slaves to assemble in groups of more than three, to leave their plantations without permission, or to possess weapons. It also increased the penalties for slaves who committed crimes.
* The North Carolina Slave Code of 1715 was similar to the Virginia Slave Code, but it also prohibited slaves from owning property, learning to read or write, or testifying in court against white people.
* The Virginia Insurrection Act of 1832 authorized the governor to call out the militia to suppress slave rebellions and to declare martial law in affected areas.
* The North Carolina Insurrection Act of 1835 was similar to the Virginia Insurrection Act, but it also gave the governor the power to arrest and detain suspected slave rebels without a warrant.
These laws were designed to make it more difficult for slaves to rebel and to punish them more severely if they did. They also helped to create a climate of fear and intimidation that made it difficult for slaves to speak out against their oppression.
