Resistance To Slave Resistance

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As soon as the first slaves arrived in the early seventeenth century, slavery resistance began. These people resisted what seemed unnatural to them. They demanded freedom. After landing in America, slaves resisted slavery in many ways, many of which were extremely aggressive and violent. Some forms of resistance included, theft, fleeing from their property owners, burning down properties, rebellion, and even more. Although forms of resistance varied, the common agreement was to attempt to claim some sort of freedom. They no longer wanted to be known as property and they were going to do whatever it took to gain that long awaited freedom. The transition into a life of slavery was devastating. These people were soon to be known as slaves and …show more content…
Working on the farms with the crops gave these slaves many easy opportunities to steal. They stole fruits, vegetables, tobacco, livestock, and more. The stealing of crops was especially common. These slaves worked long hours’ day after day in the blistering heat. Slave masters weren’t too concerned with their slave’s health unless they were too ill to work. Most slaves, if not all, didn’t have the nutrients necessary to support the daily hardship of plantation labor. Slaves believed that the master’s crops should be shared with those who helped produce it, meaning themselves. Many slaves, who were considered the owners property, believed that theft was impossible because the slave master owned what they owned. As Frederick Douglass said, “the slave was simply taking the masters meat out of one tub and putting it in …show more content…
Even though they were risky, slaves believed that rebellion was their best option. At least nine slave revolts erupted in the United States. They occurred in places like New York, South Carolina, New Orleans, and Virginia. Armed with weapons, slaves robbed and burnt down master’s property and some would even kill the masters. The whites that survived the brutal attacks were quick to seek revenge from the slaves. Hundreds of people were killed during these rebellions. The most famous rebellion that was probably the only one that succeeded in overthrowing slavery in America was the Haitian Revolution. The rebellion took place in the French colony of Saint-Domingue. The Haitian Revolution helped in the founding of the Republic of Haiti and was the only slave revolt that led to the founding of a state. To their dismay, slaves in America never achieved great success when it came to slave rebellion. The violence that did occur in America did however remind whites that slavery would never be

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