Which of the following best explains why there was confusion over the status of enslaved people in Texas?(1 point)
Responses
Mexican law allowed slavery in a variety of circumstances.
Mexican law allowed slavery in a variety of circumstances.
There were more free Black people in Texas than enslaved Black people.
There were more free Black people in Texas than enslaved Black people.
Most Anglo-American settlers were in favor of the abolition of slavery, but the government of Mexico was not.
Most Anglo-American settlers were in favor of the abolition of slavery, but the government of Mexico was not.
Mexican law and Mexican policy contradicted each other.
Mexican law and Mexican policy contradicted each other.
The reason for the confusion over the status of enslaved people in Texas is that Mexican law and Mexican policy contradicted each other.
To determine the best explanation for the confusion over the status of enslaved people in Texas, let's examine each response option:
1. Mexican law allowed slavery in a variety of circumstances.
This suggests that Mexican law permitted slavery under certain conditions. However, it does not explicitly explain the confusion around the status of enslaved individuals.
2. There were more free Black people in Texas than enslaved Black people.
This statement indicates that there was a higher number of free Black people compared to enslaved Black people in Texas. While this may have contributed to the confusion, it does not fully address the reasons behind it.
3. Most Anglo-American settlers were in favor of the abolition of slavery, but the government of Mexico was not.
This response suggests that there was a divergence of opinion between Anglo-American settlers and the Mexican government regarding the abolition of slavery. This conflicting stance could have led to confusion surrounding the status of enslaved individuals.
4. Mexican law and Mexican policy contradicted each other.
This option points out that Mexican law and policy contradicted each other, implying that there was inconsistency and ambiguity in how slavery was addressed. This inconsistency likely contributed significantly to the confusion surrounding the status of enslaved people.
Based on these explanations, the best response is option 4, which highlights the contradiction between Mexican law and policy as a major factor in the confusion over the status of enslaved individuals in Texas.