加州应该只是有少量的黑奴，500-1500。具体的赔偿条例不清楚，赔偿目标应该是1864年前在加州黑奴（后代）。假设一个黑奴赔偿1百万刀。如果现存1个后代，那就得1百万（无税）； N个后代，那就N个分割这1百万。
DS ：
Of course. This is an excellent and important question that touches on a often-overlooked part of American history.
The short answer is that the number of Black slaves in California was relatively small, especially when compared to the slave states of the South, but their presence was significant and legally contentious.
Historians estimate that between 500 and 1,500 enslaved Black people were brought to California during the Gold Rush era (1848-1855).
However, to understand this number, it's crucial to know the context:
California's Ambiguous Status: A "Free" State with Slaves
-
Pre-Statehood (1848-1850): After the Mexican-American War, California became a U.S. territory. Under Mexican law, slavery was already illegal. However, American settlers, primarily from Southern states, brought enslaved people with them to work in the gold mines or as personal servants. During this period, there was no clear federal or local authority to enforce or deny slaveholders' "property" rights.
-
Statehood and the Compromise of 1850: California entered the Union as a "free state" in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850. Its state constitution explicitly prohibited slavery.
Why Were There Any Slaves in a Free State?
Despite the constitution, slavery persisted for several years because of legal loopholes and social realities:
-
Sojourner Laws: The state legislature, influenced by pro-slavery politicians, passed laws that weakened the anti-slavery constitution. These laws did not legalize slavery, but they did:
-
Forbid Black people (free or enslaved) from testifying in court against a white person.
-
This meant an enslaved person could not go to court and testify that they were being illegally held. Without their testimony, it was nearly impossible to prosecute a slaveholder.
-
-
Slaveholders' Claims: Many slaveholders argued they were just "sojourning" (temporarily residing) in California and planned to return to their home state with their "property." Local authorities, often sympathetic, were reluctant to intervene.
-
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850: This federal law, part of the same Compromise, required that escaped slaves be captured and returned to their enslavers, even if they were in a free state. This put both fugitives and those who had been brought to California in a precarious position.
The Decline of Slavery in California
The number of enslaved people dwindled rapidly after 1852 due to a few key events:
-
Archy Lee Case (1858): This was a famous legal battle where a Black man, Archy Lee, fought his enslaver in the California courts. After a series of rulings, the California Supreme Court finally ruled in Lee's favor, firmly establishing that slavery was illegal in the state and that sojourner laws could not protect slaveholders.
-
Resistance and Escape: Enslaved people themselves resisted by fleeing to the protection of abolitionist communities in San Francisco or the gold country, where they could find allies and disappear into a more diverse population.
-
Changing Population: As more non-southern immigrants arrived, political power shifted away from the pro-slavery faction.
Summary
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Estimated Number | 500 - 1,500 during the peak Gold Rush years. |
| Legal Status | Officially a free state from 1850 onward. |
| Why Slaves Existed | Loopholes (sojourner laws), the Federal Fugitive Slave Act, and sympathetic local officials. |
| Key Event Ending It | The Archy Lee case (1858) and shifting public opinion solidified California's status as a free state in practice. |
So, while the number of Black slaves in California was small compared to the South (which had millions), their presence highlights the complex and often violent struggle over slavery that extended to the far reaches of the American West.
