African American History
The growth of slavery in North America #4
Slavery and the invention of race
The Growth of Slavery
What did slaves do to get punished?
Slaves were punished for not working fast enough, for being late getting to the fields, for defying authority, for running away, and for a number of other reasons. The punishments took many forms, including whippings, torture, mutilation, imprisonment, and being sold away from the plantation.
Overseers and Violence - On large plantations, the person who directed the daily work of the slaves was the overseer, usually a white man but occasionally an enslaved black man—a "driver"—promoted to the position by his master.
Did Slaves ever try to escape/rebel?
- Did African-American slaves rebel? Of course, they did. As early as 1934, our old friend Joel A. Rogers identified 33 slave revolts, including Nat Turner's, in his 100 Amazing Facts. Many resisted slavery in a variety of ways, differing in intensity and methodology. Among the less obvious methods of resistance were actions such as feigning illness, working slowly, producing shoddy work, and misplacing or damaging tools and equipment.
- Nat Turner (October 2, 1800 – November 11, 1831; aged 31) was an enslaved African-American preacher who organized and led the four-day rebellion of enslaved. His action set off a massacre of up to 200 Black people and a new wave of oppressive legislation prohibiting the education, movement, and assembly of enslaved people.
Harriet Tubman known as "Moses"
How many Slaves died trying to escape?
- At least 2 million Africans--10 to 15 percent--died during the infamous "Middle Passage" across the Atlantic. Another 15 to 30 percent died during the march to or confinement along the coast. Altogether, for every 100 slaves who reached the New World, another 40 had died in Africa or during the Middle Passage.
- The “railroad” is thought to have helped as many as 70,000 individuals (though estimations vary from 40,000 to 100,000) escape from slavery in the years between 1800 and 1865. Even with help, the journey was grueling.
- Hysteria swept through the region in the aftermath of Nat Turner's revolt, and as many as 200 slaves were eventually killed by white mobs and militias. The rebellion also triggered a series of oppressive restrictions on slave populations.
How Hispanics helped slaves escape to Mexico on the Underground Railroad
- Madison Washington was an enslaved man who led a slave rebellion in America on November 7, 1841, onboard the brig Creole, which was transporting 134 other slaves from Virginia for sale in New Orleans, as part of the coastwise slave trade. He was a cook who escaped from slavery not once, but twice and fled to Canada.
- On Nov. 7, 1841, Madison Washington and 18 other enslaved people aboard the Creole rebelled, overwhelming the crew and killing John R. Hewell, one of the slave traders.
Mrs. Lavina Meeks - Family Ambassador
“Education means emancipation. It means light and liberty. It means the uplifting of the soul of man into the glorious light of truth, the light by which men can only be made free.” –
Fredrick Douglas
Email: lmeeks@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website
Location: South High School, Ann Street, Columbus, OH, USA
Phone: 614- 365 - 5541