User:Alexandramercedes-santos/Slave rebellion and resistance in the United States

Non-violent resistance
Resistance took many forms; as one historian, George P. Rawick, wrote, "While from sunup to sundown the American slave worked for another and was harshly exploited, from sundown to sunup he lived for himself and created the behavioral and institutional basis which prevented him from becoming the absolute victim."

One of these means of resistance was creating ways for the production of plantations to either slow down or stop. This could mean intentionally working slower, faking sickness or feigning confusion of a task. There may have been many purposeful accidents that would break equipment or stop and set back production.

Resistance could also be an empowerment of that slave. An enslaved person would secretly learn to how to read and write, communicate important information through songs and pray. Some committed suicide or fought back when beaten.

Resistance many times was an act of survival. Some would steal food to feed their families. Others may run away for a short time to prevent the selling of children.

There is evidence that some enslaved people in the United States "added back doors to their dwellings that provided access to an open space shielded by the dwellings on all sides."

Women and Resistance
Gender played an imperative role in the treatment of slaves ranging from selling, harassment and expectations. Women showed resistance in different, but significant ways compared to men due to different expectations. For example, there were less women who would runaway due to the responsibilities as mothers and primary caretakers of their home.

Petit Marronage
Some slaves would escape only to come back a short time later to take a break from their labor and disrupt the means of production of the plantations, this practice is known as petit marronage. During petit marronage, people could escape their oppressive overseers for a time. This allowed them opportunity to do many things which could include connecting with others, escaping incoming sale or mistreatment and organizing for a rebellion.

Great Dismal Swamp
The Great Dismal Swamp located in Virginia and North Carolina, was one prominent place where these slaves would go for this marronage, along with other long-term refugees. The location was strategic as the swamp was dense and could hide its refugees from the plantation owners, militia, and dogs. In the swamp, fugitives could take refuge and would make self-sustained communities. They would fish, farm, art and even trade in the rough swamp environment.

There would be trade for things like shingles, pork and corn. Some would directly sell timber to outside companies. By controlling the quality of the shingles and with competition from other multiple companies who wanted to buy their shingles, these traders had negotiating power. This created more financial freedom for the refugees.

The swamp became a particularly more enticing in times of great upheaval like the American Revolution, reflected by the increase in refugees.

Today the swamp is seen as a place of resistance, where enslaved people could share in their cultural, agricultural and artisan knowledge, make their own economy and have their own freedom.

List of slave rebellions in the Colonial Americas
Those from 1607, which marked the founding of the first settlement to 1776 the beginning of the United States include:


 * Gloucester County Conspiracy (1663)
 * Bacon's Rebellion (1676)
 * New York Slave Revolt of 1712
 * Chesapeake rebellion (1730)
 * Stono Rebellion (1739)
 * New York Conspiracy of 1741