Slave revolts essays

Slave revolts essays During four hundred years of slavery, black people did not accept the idea as easily as many thought. When Europeans took thousands of Africans from their native land against their will, one can only expect resistance. Through the struggle, enslaved Africans formed slave rhymes, stories, and planned revolts to fight against the tyranny of the slave owners. Enslaved African use forms of rebellion to out smart their masters and sometimes used violence for redemption for their inhumane treatment. In the beginning of slavery, whites feared the rebellion of blacks therefore they used tactics to control and to place fear minds of the slaves. A basic device of control whites used against blacks was to make them feel like they were inferior to whites. Whites also made Negroes believe they were descendants of Cain or the snake in the book of Genesis in the bible. The church also had a large contribution to the mindset of slaves. The church taught slaves that God wanted them to hold a lower level in society. The church also taught slaves that they would spend an eternity in Hell if they did not perform their daily tasks. Church sermons usually described beatings and lashings as a correction. It did not matter if the slave deserved it or not, the churchs justification was that God wills it. Military activity commonly concerned most whites in the regard to black slaves. In 1727 and 1728, escaped slaves were aiding the Yamasee and Lower Creek Indians in Granville County. (Aptheker, American Slave Revolts, p. 19-57) During the Revolutionary War, blacks found the open opportunity to lead slave uprisings. In 1974 in Georgia, six men and four women led an uprising murdering the overseer, the wife, and wounded the carpenter. They continued to neighboring houses where they murdered three men and wounded others. The British enlisted slaves for their own military force offering the rights to their freedom ...