Between 1820 and 1860, the population of free blacks in the United States _________________.

A) remained essentially constant
B) declined moderately
C) rose slightly
D) rose steadily

The population of free blacks in the United States rose steadily between 1820 and 1860. In 1820, there were approximately 233,000 free blacks in the United States, and by 1860, that number had grown to over 488,000. This was largely due to the end of the international slave trade in 1808, which led to an increase in the number of free black people born in the United States. Additionally, some states began to gradually abolish slavery during this time period, resulting in more free black people.