What was the first formal statute governing the treatment of slaves, known for providing harsh punishments against offenders?

The Barbados Slave Code, enacted in 1661, is recognized as the first formal statute that established comprehensive regulations concerning the treatment of enslaved individuals, particularly in the Caribbean. This code was significant because it laid the groundwork for subsequent slave laws in British colonies and directly influenced later codes in places like Virginia and the Carolinas.

The Barbados Slave Code included harsh penalties for offenses committed by enslaved people and provided legal justification for the brutal treatment of enslaved individuals. The code made it clear that the enslaved were considered property, devoid of rights, and it criminalized acts of rebellion or resistance.

Other codes listed, such as the Virginia Slave Code and the Carolina Slave Code, were indeed influential in their own rights, but they were modeled significantly on the original principles established by the Barbados Slave Code. This context is crucial in understanding how the treatment of enslaved individuals was legislatively entrenched and justified in colonial law.