2.11 The Stono Rebellion and Fort Mose

St. Augustine

  • Founded in Florida in 1565, constructed with help of Africans

  • Oldest continuously occupied settlement of African American and European orgin in US.

-By 1746 nearly 1/3 of the population was Black

  • In the 17th c., enslaved refugees escaping Carolinas fled to St. Augustine

-Sought asylum in Spanish Florida

-Offered freedom to enslaved people who converted to Catholicism

Fort Mose

  • Governor of Spanish Florida established fortified settlement under Francisco Menéndez, 1783

-Enslaved Senegambians in Carolinas 

-Fought against English in Yamasee War

-Escaped to St. Augustine, joined militia, promoted to rank of captain

  • First sanctioned free Black town in what is now the United States

-Intended to be part of defense against British incursions

-~100 inhabitants

Stono Rebellion

  • September 1739 in South Carolina, 20 miles outside of Charleston

  • Led by Jemmy, enslaved man from Angola region

-~100 enslaved set fire to plantations and marched toward sanctuary

-Killed approximately 30 white people

  • Many were from the Kingdom of Kongo

-Portuguese speakers familiar with Cathlocism

  • Objective to reach Spanish Florida, offered emancipation to enslaved fleeing British

Response to Stono Rebellion

  • South Carolina passed restrictive slave doe in 1740

-Illegal for enslaved African to more abroad, assemble in groups, raise food, earn money, and learn to write

-Prescribed 1:10 ratio on every plantation

-Permission to kill rebellious enslaved people

  • British colonial forces invaded Florida, one month later

-Eventually seized and destroyed Fort Mose

-Rebuilt in 1752, Florida lost Britain in 1763

-Black population fled to Cuba or joined the Seminole Indian nation

Recap:

  • St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of African American and European origin in the United States, provided asylum to enslaved refugees

  • Fort Mose was the first sectioned free Black town in what is now the United States

  • The Stono Rebellion started in South Carolina and leaders had intentions of fleeing to Florida

  • Rebellion led to harsher slave codes and British invasion of Florida