Virginia 1682: All Non-Christian Importees Enslaved Regardless of Origin

Virginia's 1682 act expanded the definition of who could be enslaved to include all people imported into the colony who were not Christians 'in their native Country' — regardless of whether they had since converted. This targeted not only Africans but also people from Turkey, India, and elsewhere, though in practice it overwhelmingly applied to Africans. The law also imposed pass requirements on enslaved people, requiring written permission to leave plantations, and prescribed thirty lashes for unlicensed assembly. It was among the most comprehensive slave codes enacted in 17th-century Virginia.