Slave Resistance: Everyday Acts, Escape, and Revolt

Everyday Resistance and the Underground Railroad00:00:00

Most slave resistance was not violent rebellion but small, day-to-day acts like ignoring directions, working slower, or procrastinating. Running away was rare due to little hope of success without help. When escape did occur, it was often a short-distance act of defiance. The Underground Railroad, a network of safe houses and conductors like Harriet Tubman, helped some escape, primarily to the North, with some routes going South to Mexico, which had outlawed slavery in 1829. The number of successful escapes is unknown because records were not kept to avoid capture. Violence was the least common form of resistance.

The New Orleans Slave Revolt of 181100:02:16

The New Orleans Slave Revolt of 1811, also called the German Coast Uprising, was the largest slave revolt in U.S. history. Slaves from several sugar plantations marched toward New Orleans, numbering between 60 and 500, though poorly armed. They burned plantations and killed two whites. Local militias stopped the revolt, killing 95 slaves during fighting, post-trial executions, and violent reprisals. Leaders were executed and their heads displayed as a warning. Despite its size, the revolt accomplished little and was not the most significant.

Nat Turner's Rebellion of 183100:03:52

Nat Turner's Rebellion in 1831 was the most significant slave revolt. Turner, a slave foreman and preacher in Virginia, led a rebellion in August 1831. Turner and others killed their owner's family, gathered 70 more slaves, and marched through the countryside, killing 50-65 whites over two days before being stopped by militia and mobs. An estimated 160 slaves died during and after the revolt. Turner escaped but was captured and hanged. Southerners feared further violence and the radicalization of abolitionists.

Significance of Nat Turner's Rebellion00:05:24

Nat Turner's Rebellion had four major significances: 1) It led to stricter slave codes across the South, including limits on slave education and literacy. 2) It created a standard reactionary response to any rumor of revolt, often resulting in the murder of supposedly involved slaves. 3) It increased anti-slavery and abolitionist debates in the North. 4) It strengthened the argument that slavery was a positive good, as the South pushed this narrative to defend the institution. After Turner's rebellion, very few slave revolts occurred due to the harsh response.

Conclusion00:07:15

In summary, violence was not a common form of resistance. The most common resistance was small, day-to-day acts like working slower or refusing orders. The video concludes by noting that the next discussion will cover the anti-slavery and abolitionist movements and the Northern response to slavery.