Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2027 exam
Verified for the 2027 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
A 1783 Massachusetts state supreme court case in which Chief Justice William Cushing ruled that slavery was inconsistent with the state constitution's declaration that all men are born free and equal, effectively abolishing slavery in Massachusetts.