Which English colony north of Maryland held the most enslaved people?

• A. Massachusetts
• B. New York
• C. Connecticut
• D. Rhode Island

Answer: (B)

Slavery in the colonial North varied in scale, with some colonies having only a small number of enslaved people and others, like New York, hosting a much larger population due to their economic and urban prominence. New York’s role as a major port and commercial center created a demand for enslaved labor across many sectors—docks, households, trades, and urban maintenance—so its enslaved population grew larger than in the other northern colonies listed. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island had smaller economies and less agricultural plantation activity, which kept their enslaved numbers comparatively low. So, among the options, New York held the most enslaved people north of Maryland.