Questions: Which of the following is a key difference between the slave societies in the South and the societies with slaves in the North? Enslaved Black people in the North typically had less contact with their slaveholders than in the South. In the North, slavery was most often practiced in urban centers. Slavery was only legal in a few Northern colonies. African and African-descended people did not make up the majority of those enslaved in the North.

The answer is: Enslaved Black people in the North typically had less contact with their slaveholders than in the South.

Explanation for each option:

1. Enslaved Black people in the North typically had less contact with their slaveholders than in the South.

   • This is correct. In the South, the plantation system meant that enslaved people often lived and worked in close proximity to their slaveholders. In contrast, in the North, where slavery was more common in urban settings or smaller farms, enslaved people often had less direct and continuous contact with their owners.

2. In the North, slavery was most often practiced in urban centers.

   • This is also true, but it is not the key difference highlighted in the question. While slavery in the North was indeed more common in urban areas, the question is asking for a key difference, and the level of contact between enslaved people and their slaveholders is a more defining characteristic.

3. Slavery was only legal in a few Northern colonies.

   • This is incorrect. Slavery was legal in all Northern colonies at some point, though it was less central to the economy and society compared to the South. Over time, Northern states began to abolish slavery, but during the colonial period, it was legal in all of them.

4. African and African-descended people did not make up the majority of those enslaved in the North.

   • This is incorrect. While the number of enslaved people in the North was smaller compared to the South, those who were enslaved were predominantly of African descent. The key difference lies in the nature of their interactions with their slaveholders, not the demographic composition of the enslaved population.

In summary, the key difference highlighted in the question is the level of contact between enslaved people and their slaveholders, which was typically less in the North compared to the South.