What were the Black Codes aimed at?

The Black Codes were a series of laws enacted in the southern United States after the Civil War, primarily during the Reconstruction era. These laws were specifically designed to restrict the freedoms of African Americans and to maintain a labor force that would benefit white landowners. The primary aim was to control black labor and limit the newly acquired freedoms of African Americans, ensuring that they remained economically and socially subordinate.

By imposing restrictions such as requiring labor contracts and limiting the types of employment newly freed slaves could undertake, the Black Codes effectively sought to perpetuate the pre-Civil War racial hierarchy. This included provisions that made it illegal for blacks to be unemployed or to own firearms, reinforcing their status as second-class citizens while simultaneously providing a cheap labor pool for the economy dependent on plantation agriculture.

In contrast, the other choices suggest intentions that were contrary to the actual goals of the Black Codes. Rather than encouraging political participation or promoting economic independence for African Americans, these laws actively aimed to suppress any form of advancement or autonomy among the black population. Similarly, rather than establishing equal rights, the Black Codes institutionalized racial discrimination and inequality, which were the very conditions they sought to maintain.