Dissertation on Slavery With a Proposal for the Gradual Abolition of it, in the State of Virginia

"A Dissertation on Slavery" by St. George Tucker is a detailed study from the 1700s that looks at slavery, especially in Virginia, and suggests slowly getting rid of it. Tucker believed that slavery went against what America stood for—freedom and democracy—and he presents a step-by-step plan to end it. He starts by explaining how wrong it is for a country that values freedom to keep so many people enslaved. Tucker questions the reasons people give for slavery, explains how it started in Virginia, and talks about the laws that controlled it. He strongly felt that there needed to be a well-organized plan to free the slaves while also keeping society stable. Tucker's strong feelings about this important issue help readers understand how complicated slavery was and what could be done to end it.