1. what can be inferred by the passage of the black codes?

a. many white southerners wanted african americans to receive fair wages
b. southern lawmakers wanted to provide voting rights for african americans
c. many white southerners wanted african american to remain as servants
d. many southerners were willing to allow african americans equality

c. many white southerners wanted African Americans to remain as servants.

The Black Codes were laws passed by Southern states in 1865 and 1866 after the Civil War with the intent of restricting the rights and freedom of African Americans. The most prevalent aim of Black Codes was to maintain the system of labor that existed before the Civil War, i.e., enslaving black people as a source of cheap labor. Thus, the passage of Black Codes infers that the majority of white Southerners wanted to keep African Americans as a source of labor and limit their rights and freedoms.

To infer the meaning behind the passage of the Black Codes, we need to have an understanding of the historical context. The Black Codes were a series of laws enacted in the Southern United States during the Reconstruction Era, following the American Civil War.

To determine the answer, we can eliminate options that are unlikely based on historical knowledge. Option b is incorrect, as the Black Codes were actually designed to limit the rights and freedoms of African Americans, rather than provide voting rights. Option d is also incorrect, as the Black Codes were specifically designed to prevent African Americans from receiving equality.

This leaves us with options a and c. To further determine the correct answer, we should understand the purpose of the Black Codes. The Black Codes were intended to ensure a social and economic system similar to slavery was maintained, even after its formal abolition. Therefore, the correct inference can be made that many white southerners wanted African Americans to remain as servants, making option c the most likely answer.

So, the inferred meaning from the passage of the Black Codes is that many white southerners wanted African Americans to remain as servants.

c. many white southerners wanted African Americans to remain as servants

The passage of the black codes, which were a series of laws enacted in the southern states after the Civil War, can be inferred that many white southerners wanted African Americans to remain in a position of servitude. These laws severely restricted the rights and freedoms of African Americans, aiming to maintain a social and economic hierarchy that favored white society.