What was the importance of slave codes

Slave codes were laws that were designed to control the behavior of enslaved people and to protect the interests of slave owners. They were used to regulate the daily lives of slaves, including where they could go, what they could do, and how they could be punished. Slave codes also limited the rights of slaves, such as the right to own property, to marry, and to testify in court. The codes were designed to ensure that slaves remained subservient to their owners and that the institution of slavery was maintained.