Katherine might not have done things according to the 1681 Virginia state law, but unknowingly breaking the law was possible to get away with. In this time period it was ok for her qualifications to get by, most importantly her race. Although the law didn’t play an important role but it was considered and thought to be used, race was proven difficult and complicated for social separation of African Americans from whites.
Katherine Wakins being attacked and raped in pursuit home on one afternoon in August of 1681, by the allege John Long, a Negro slave. Katherine being a white female whose husband was a Quaker in addition being a Negro and deciding to attack her was almost the worst thing he could have done. Even though the present time of seventeenth century in Virginia and being on trial only gave us the early stages of slavery and minimum visual of punishment.
There was no proof and it was not mentioned that Katherine knew John prior to the attack. All the court could go by was word of mouth by those who were present. Then accuracy would be questioned due to different levels of consumed syder. Even though it was a Negro she was flirting with doesn’t mean she’s not allowed to find them attractive. This point in history shows the difficulty in how different race and different social class have similar interest. Katherine, of a higher social class, finding interest in this Negro, that’s not even in labeled.
In the end, laws are made to be broken and crimes are committed with hopes in not being caught. Social class and race may be factors but to Katherine it wasn’t difficult to show. Death penalty was always an option, but what do you charge a person for, who do you charge; the person who gets raped or the person who sparks interest?
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