Which statement best describes the slave codes of the 1800s 2. They were laws that controlled the lives of enslaved people. They were descriptions of the jobs held by enslaved workers. They were rules for plantation owners who wanted to enslave people. They were lists of the trades that enslaved people were allowed to learn.

## Step 1<br />The slave codes of the 1800s were a set of laws that were established in the American South. These laws were designed to limit the rights and freedoms of enslaved people, ensuring that they remained subservient to their owners.<br />## Step 2<br />The slave codes did not describe the jobs held by enslaved workers, nor did they list the trades that enslaved people were allowed to learn. They also did not provide rules for plantation owners who wanted to enslave people.<br />## Step 3<br />The primary purpose of the slave codes was to control the lives of enslaved people, restricting their rights and freedoms. This aligns with the first option, which states that the slave codes were laws that controlled the lives of enslaved people.