Slavery is a system whereby people are treated as property to be bought and sold and are forced to work. These people may be held against their will from the moment of capture, purchase or birth and deprived of the right to holidays, refusal to work or claims for compensation. These people are known as slaves. One victim of this act is Solomon Northup, a freeborn African American from New York. This essay is based on Solomon Northup's early life, marriage, family, and work, including the harrowing story of his kidnapping into slavery. Solomon Northup was born in July 1808 in Minerva, New York. His father, Mintus Northup, was originally a slave to Henry Northup's family from Rhode Island, but was later freed upon his master's death and adopted the surname Northup as his own, after the family moved to New York. Mintus Northup married and moved with his wife, a free woman of color, to the town of Minerva in Essex County, New York. Not much is known about her mother who does not identify her by name in her account. Mintus was widowed some time later. Their two sons, Solomon and Joseph, were born free according to the principle of partus sequitur ventrem, since both mother and father were free people. Mintus' wife was of mixed heritage and was considered a mulatto as she was one-quarter black. Mintus was a successful farmer who met the property requirements needed to vote. The level of education he provided for his two children was considered high for freed blacks at the time. Solomon played the violin well, but later operated his own farm in Hebron (Washington County). His father's final resting place was on the road from Fort Edward (from the War of 1763) to Argyle. He died in November 1829, and his grave is located... in the center of the map... whippings were heard every day on the Epps plantation, from sundown until bedtime. Epps sexually abused a young slave, Patsey, constantly raping her. This led to further severe physical and mental abuse spurred by Epp's wife. In 1852, Samuel Bass, who was a carpenter, came to do some work for Epps. Bass expressed his opponent's opinions, this led Northup to eventually decide to reveal his secrets to him. Bass was the first person to whom he told his real name and his origins as a free man since he was enslaved. In addition to mailing a letter written by Northup, Bass also wrote several letters appealing to Northup's friends, providing common details about his location at Bayou Boeuf, in hopes of securing his rescue. Bass aided Northup after the opening of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which increased nationwide punishments against people who helped slaves escape.