At least the south considered them to be property AND 3/5's of a person...the Northern states considered them to be property only. If that's not so, why did the Northern states vote to retain slavery for 20 years until they could use up and sell off all their slaves?
Little known history here Johnny. Martha Washingtons personal slave was a 18 year old American born slave. All of George Washingtons slaves had been told that on his death his slaves were to be freed. However Mathas slaves were not to be.
Here it gets interesting, this favorite slave of Mathas over heard Martha telling someone that she planned to give her slave to her daughter for a wedding present.
Unfortunately the slave was afraid of the to be groom, she in her life story tells of her fear about how the man looked at her.
Some how she found a ships captain to smuggle her up the coast to Portsmouth N.H. George W. went wild, he posted rewards for her return and had his spy's on the look out for her. Regardless of the huge sum of money offered for her return the people hid her .
She earned a living as a dress maker, married and had 8 children. She passed on at a ripe old age.