In what context were slave codes developed?

Slave codes were developed in a society reliant on enslaved labor as a means of controlling and regulating the behavior of enslaved individuals. These codes were legal statutes that established the status of enslaved people and outlined the rights of their owners, as well as the harsh penalties for enslaved individuals who attempted to resist or escape. In societies where agricultural labor depended heavily on enslaved workers—for instance, in the Southern United States—the need to maintain dominance and minimize the risk of rebellion led to the establishment of these codes. They served to institutionalize the subjugation of enslaved people and were a reflection of the economic structures that depended on slavery. This context underscores the direct correlation between the level of reliance on enslaved labor and the implementation of laws that sought to control that population.