6 6 2 ▁the ▁Virginia ▁House ▁of ▁Burg esses ▁passed ▁a ▁law ▁with ▁the ▁doctrine ▁of ▁part us , ▁stating ▁that ▁any ▁child ▁born ▁in ▁the ▁col ony ▁would ▁follow ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁its ▁mother , ▁bond ▁or ▁free . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁an ▁over turn ▁of ▁a ▁long h eld ▁principle ▁of ▁English ▁Common ▁Law , ▁where by ▁a ▁child ' s ▁status ▁followed ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁father . ▁ ▁It ▁enabled ▁slave hold ers ▁and ▁other ▁white ▁men ▁to ▁hide ▁the ▁mixed - race ▁children ▁born ▁of ▁their ▁ra pe ▁of ▁slave ▁women ▁and ▁removed ▁their ▁responsibility ▁to ▁acknow ledge , ▁support , ▁or ▁em an cip ate ▁the ▁children . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁the ▁British ▁economy ▁improved ▁and ▁the ▁supply ▁of ▁British ▁indent ured ▁servants ▁decl ined , ▁as ▁poor ▁Brit ons ▁had ▁better ▁economic ▁opportun ities ▁at ▁home . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Ba con ' s ▁Reb ell ion ▁of ▁ 1 6 7 6 ▁led ▁plan ters ▁to ▁worry ▁about ▁the ▁pros pective ▁d angers ▁of ▁creating ▁a ▁large ▁class ▁of ▁rest less , ▁land less , ▁and ▁relatively ▁poor ▁white ▁men ▁( most ▁of ▁them ▁former ▁indent ured ▁servants ). ▁ ▁We alth y ▁Virginia ▁and ▁Maryland ▁plan ters ▁began ▁to ▁buy ▁slaves ▁in ▁preference ▁to ▁indent ured ▁servants ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 6 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 6 7 0 s , ▁and ▁poor er ▁plan ters ▁followed ▁suit ▁by ▁c