RESISTANCE AND REVOLT

RESISTANCE AND REVOLT

Forms of Slave Resistance

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  • 2. NCESESTRAI

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Understanding Slave Resistance

Concept of Resistance

  • The term ‘resistance’ refers to the various ways enslaved persons opposed or fought back against their conditions of slavery.

Methods of Slave Resistance (from video)

  • Slaves resisted slavery through multiple means including:

    • Active rebellion

    • Subtle acts of defiance

    • Establishing maroon communities

    • Running away

    • Disobeying orders

Motivation for Resistance

  • Slaves resisted slavery driven by several factors:

    • Longing for freedom and liberty

    • Harsh treatment by enslavers

    • Denial of basic human rights and dignity

Nature and Manifestations of Slave Resistance

Constant Presence in Slave Society

  • Slave resistance was a persistent aspect of the lives of enslaved persons, especially in the Caribbean.

  • Enslaved individuals continuously sought freedom, defined by their commitment to basic human rights.

Varied Forms of Resistance

  • Resistance took both active and passive forms, showcasing the dedication of slaves to reclaiming their rights.

  • Common types included:

    • Working slowly

    • Open rebellions

    • Destroying property

    • Murdering enslavers

  • Resistance created a dynamic struggle between the enslaved and enslavers, influencing plantation society's structure.

Defining Characteristics of Slave Resistance

  1. Powerlessness - A feeling of lack of control over their lives and destinies.

  2. Social Degradation - Enslaved individuals faced constant societal humiliation.

  3. Natal Alienation - a disconnection from cultural roots and heritage due to enslavement.

Causes of Slave Protests

Major Factors Influencing Slave Rebellions

  • Desire for Freedom: Slaves longed to reclaim their autonomy.

  • Harsh Treatment: Excessive punishment and unreasonable control prompted protests.

  • Denial of Rights: Basic rights concerning food, clothing, healthcare, and shelter were often denied.

Additional Causes

  • Shortages of Food: Disasters such as droughts led to significant protests concerning sustenance.

  • Conspiracy: Unity among slaves of the same tribal background encouraged rebellion (e.g. Asante tribes).

  • Geography: The mountainous regions of the West Indies provided ideal hiding spots for slaves engaging in guerrilla warfare.

  • Management Issues: Overseers and absentee landlords imposed harsher conditions on plantations.

Types of Slave Resistance

Active/Overt/Insurrectionary Resistance

  • Refers to actions with immediate impacts against the institution of slavery. Examples include:

    • Setting fire to cane fields

    • Revolts against slaveholders

    • Destruction of plantation machinery

Passive/Covert/Non-Insurrectionary Resistance

  • Includes subtle acts of defiance that do not immediately threaten slavery but challenge the system. Examples include:

    • Running away

    • Practicing Obeah (spiritual practices)

    • Pretending ignorance

    • Maintaining cultural practices in private (e.g., singing, speaking native language)

    • Joining maroon communities

    • Insubordination within the work environment

    • Petty theft from estates

Specific Resistance Methods

Homework Assignment

  • Create a table to list:

    • 5 active forms of resistance

    • 10 passive forms of resistance

Classification of Resistance

Active Forms

  • Included:

    • Fires set to cane fields

    • Revolts and insurrections

    • Maiming livestock

    • Destruction of estate property

Passive Forms

  • Included:

    • Running away

    • Obeah practices

    • Pretending ignorance

    • Cultural expressions (like singing and drumming)

    • Establishing Maroon communities

    • Lying or sabotaging efforts

    • Minor theft from work sites

    • Slow and deliberately poor work performance

    • Poisoning of slaveholders

Gender-Specific Forms of Resistance

Acts of Resistance by Enslaved Women

  • Women participated in unique forms of resistance, including:

    • Delaying pregnancies to avoid bearing more enslaved individuals.

    • Inducing abortions, especially in cases of abuse.

    • Extending periods of breastfeeding or weaning to prolong maternal bonds.

    • Faking illness during menstrual cycles to avoid labor.

    • Infanticide as a drastic measure against the system.

    • Cultural resistance by passing down traditions and teachings.

    • Engaging in concubinage as a survival strategy.

    • Composing songs to mock or resist their masters.

Marronage and Maroon Communities

Maroon Definition

  • Marronage describes the phenomenon of enslaved individuals escaping and establishing independent communities in mountainous regions, particularly notable in Jamaica, British Guiana, Hispaniola, and Suriname.

Two Types of Marronage

  1. Grand Marronage: Large-scale escape leading to the formation of substantial maroon communities.

    • Contributed significantly to organized resistance.

  2. Petit Marronage: Individuals or small groups escaping temporarily, often returning to plantations.

Factors Encouraging Maroon Societies

  • By the 1730s, notable maroon settlements were visible in Jamaica (e.g., Trelawney Town)

  • Factors included:

    1. Strong leadership from figures like Cudjoe and Nanny.

    2. Favorable geography offering refuge.

    3. Skills in tracking and marksmanship learned from African heritage.

    4. Cropping provisions and hunting for survival.

    5. Fortification by reinforcements from other runaways.

    6. Effective communication via coded signals.

    7. Conducting raids on plantations for supplies.

Bush Negroes of Suriname

Description and Character

  • Bush Negroes formed part of an innovative resistance group within the Dutch colony of Suriname.

  • They maintained a strategic distance from plantations to raid while avoiding capture.

Impact of Running Away on Plantation Efficiency

Effects of Escape on Planters

  • The act of enslaved people running away led to:

    • Loss of labor, forcing planters to incur expenses to replace them.

    • Providing encouragement for others on plantations to consider escape.

    • Loss of property (animals, crops, tools) during flight.

    • Maroon societies posed a tangible threat to plantation security.

Additional Points on Resistance

  1. Resistance against enslavement was fundamentally a natural human reaction to oppression.

  2. Common forms of resistance often occurred within work environments.

  3. Resistance included not just armed rebellion but also myriad acts of everyday defiance and non-compliance.

Infrequency of Armed Rebellions

  • Armed rebellions were infrequent, largely due to:

    • Monopolization of weapons by slave owners.

    • Surveillance and strict movement controls imposed on slaves.

Repercussions of Resistance

  • Stressful outcomes for those caught attempting to rebel included:

    • Extreme punishment such as hanging, decapitation, or live execution as a deterrent against rebellion.

Reflective Questions

  • Were slave rebels motivated so intensely by the desire for freedom that they risked their lives?

  • Did they hold hope for successful uprisings against their oppressors?