New Jersey moves to abolish slavery

Background. Following the Revolutionary War, many northern states moved to abolish slavery, but New Jersey delayed action until 1804. The state's legislature, influenced by the widespread use of slave labor in ports and agriculture, enacted a gradual emancipation law similar to New York's. Abolitionist sentiment had decreased the enslaved population, yet public slave sales continued until 1804, and slave-owning remained a significant political interest.

Legislative Terms. The 1804 Act of Gradual Abolition declared that children born to enslaved mothers after July 4, 1804, would be free at birth. However, these children were required to serve lengthy apprenticeships as indentured servants until early adulthood for the masters of their mothers. The act did not guarantee immediate freedom for all slaves born after 1804, maintaining a system of long-term servitude.

Economic Impact. After the 1804 act, advertisements for the full-title sale of female slaves of child-bearing age increased in urban areas like New Brunswick. Female slaves were highly valuable due to their reproductive capabilities, as their children would be born as slaves for a term, even after the gradual abolition law. This economic dynamic persisted despite the legislative changes.