Southerners’ fear of the impact of the Somerset decision was justified, because Britain abolished slavery in its colonies in 1833, more than 30 years before the end of the American Civil War.

The southern colonies feared that Somerset would eventually apply to them and abolish their way of life. In their view, the only way to preserve slavery was to become independent of Britain.

The northern colonies and non-Southern states were more diverse and included many anti-slavery residents. The Southern states were dominated by “a large plantation economy and white Protestants,” who ...

Whoever promises them freedom will gain their loyalty and their assistance, Hamilton said, and sure enough, later in 1779 when the British attacked the Southern colonies in an attempt to split them ...