--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew the law would decide that I was…" description: "\"“I knew the law would decide that I was his property, and would probably still give his daughter a claim to my children; but I regarded such laws as th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/harriet-ann-jacobs-11125_children_i-knew-the-law-would-decide-that-i-was-h_2617513.png" --- # I knew the law would decide that I was his property, and… ![“I knew the law would decide that I was his property, and would probably still give his daughter a claim to my children; but I regarded such laws as the regulations of robbers, who had no rights that I was bound to respect.” quote by Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/harriet-ann-jacobs-11125_children_i-knew-the-law-would-decide-that-i-was-h_2617513.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/harriet-ann-jacobs-11125_children_i-knew-the-law-would-decide-that-i-was-h_2617513.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d4c/harriet-ann-jacobs-11125_children_i-knew-the-law-would-decide-that-i-was-h_2617513.png) > ““I knew the law would decide that I was his property, and would probably still give his daughter a claim to my children; but I regarded such laws as the regulations of robbers, who had no rights that I was bound to respect.”” [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Laws that claim ownership over people are unjust, treating humans as property rather than beings with rights. **In simple terms:** Laws can treat people like property, which is immoral. Key Takeaway Question and resist oppressive laws. Themes justice freedom human rights Mood determined hopeful Type activist historical When to use this quote - activism - legal reform - personal empowerment Key Concepts property law moral philosophy civil rights Questions to Reflect On - What are modern equivalents of such laws? - How can individuals challenge unjust regulations? A Different Perspective Legal systems may protect oppressors as well as victims. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Slavery-in-the-united-states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-in-the-united-states/) ## Related quotes > [“I forgot that in the land of my birth the shadows are too dense for light to penetrate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/i-forgot-that-in-the-land-of-my-birth-the-shadows-are-too-dense-for/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [“Who can blame slaves for being cunning? They are constantly compelled to resort to it. It is the only weapon of the weak and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/who-can-blame-slaves-for-being-cunning-they-are-constantly-compelled/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [“It was a grand opportunity for the low whites, who had no negroes of their own to scourge. 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It is the only weapon of the weak and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/who-can-blame-slaves-for-being-cunning-they-are-constantly-compelled/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [“It was a grand opportunity for the low whites, who had no negroes of their own to scourge. They exulted in such a chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/it-was-a-grand-opportunity-for-the-low-whites-who-had-no-negroes-of/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [“I remained abroad ten months, which was much longer than I had anticipated. During all that time, I never saw the slightest symptom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/i-remained-abroad-ten-months-which-was-much-longer-than-i-had/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [But I now entered on my fifteenth year - a sad epoch in the life of a slave girl. 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These God-breathing machines are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/notwithstanding-my-grandmother-s-long-and-faithful-service-to-her/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [Hot weather brings out snakes and slaveholders, and I like one class of the venomous creatures as little as I do the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/hot-weather-brings-out-snakes-and-slaveholders-and-i-like-one-class/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) [Explore all 51 Harriet Ann Jacobs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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