Elizabeth Key's Legal Struggles in Virginia

What was Elizabeth Key's status at birth in colonial Virginia?

• A free Black woman

• An enslaved person

• A white indentured servant

• A biracial child born to an enslaved Black mother and a white free father

What happened to Elizabeth Key and her son John after John Mottrom died?

• They were immediately granted their freedom.

• They were reclassified from indentured servants to enslaved people.

• They were sent to England to live with Humphrey Higginson.

• They became free landowners in Virginia.

Which of the following was one of Elizabeth Key's arguments for her freedom in court?

• She had completed her agreed-upon term of servitude.

• She was married to a free white man.

• She was a skilled laborer essential to the colony.

• She had purchased her freedom from John Mottrom.

What does Elizabeth Key's story reveal about the legal system in colonial Virginia for Black people?

• The legal system consistently provided justice for all individuals regardless of race.

• Black people were always able to win their freedom if they had a strong legal case.

• Her success was an exception, highlighting the systemic injustices faced by most Black people.

• The laws were clear and easy to understand for everyone.