U.S. Slave Population in 1860

The U.S. slave population by 1860 was approximately:

a. 1 million.

b. 2 million.

c. 3 million.

d. 4 million.

e. 5 million.

Final answer:

By 1860, the U.S. slave population was approximately 4 million, with 3.95 million individuals enslaved due to the active domestic slave trade during that era.

Explanation:

The U.S. slave population by 1860 was approximately 4 million. Specifically, according to historical records, there were 3.95 million individuals held in bondage at that time. The figure comes from a period where the domestic slave trade was a significant force in American society, marked by one of the largest forced internal migrations within the United States, where around 200,000 people were sold and relocated each decade between 1820 and 1860.