What was a common feature among the slave codes enacted in different states?

The common feature among the slave codes enacted in different states was the prohibitions against enslaved people learning to read. These laws were rooted in the fear that literacy would empower enslaved individuals, enabling them to communicate more effectively, organize resistance, or educate others about their rights and aspirations for freedom. The restrictions on education were part of a broader strategy to maintain control over the enslaved population by limiting their access to knowledge and tools that could facilitate rebellion or escape.

The intent behind the slave codes was to reinforce the hierarchy of power that existed between enslaved people and their owners. By keeping enslaved individuals illiterate, slaveholders aimed to prevent the spread of ideas that could challenge the institution of slavery and undermine the social order. This aspect of the slave codes illustrates the lengths to which slaveholding societies would go to perpetuate their system of oppression and maintain control over the lives of enslaved people.