Resistance+to+Slavery

There were numerous ways slaves resisted. They pretended to be ill, refused to work, did jobs poorly, destroyed farm equipment, stole food, and many more things. These were more individual acts rather than organized plan to revolt. The objective was to upset the routine of the plantation or farm in any way possible. Many slaves refused to be whipped and they fought with overseers if they tried to whip them. They used "moral force to stare down angry masters and mistresses," said Currie Stephen in __Life of a Slave in a Southern Plantation.__ When this type of thing happened, their masters threatened to sell slaves, kill them, or actually did sell them. In __Life of a Slave in a Southern Plantation__, one slave had beaten an overseer so hard and tore his face up that he had to go to the doctor. This slave had beaten the overseer because the overseer had beaten his mother. Other slaves stood up for themselves and their families. They talked back to their masters. Some slaves tried to runaway from their masters/mistresses. Other slaves attempted to kill their masters/mistress. When this kind of act was attempted, slaves likely got the punishment of death. A few tried to kill their master, so they could save themselves. But mostly death wouldn't be there punishment for this type of action because they said this self-defense. Slaves used their fists, knives, and set fires to kill their masters/mistresses. Some murdered their masters/mistresses in their sleep. Many slaves got together and led rebellions. All slaves, who resisted, needed strength, courage, and the willingness to stand up for themselves. 
 * Resistance to Slavery: **

 The Underground Railroad played in important part in many slave lives. The Underground Railroad was a system in which slaves were helped in their journey from the South to the North. One of the conductors was Harriet Tubman, who made 19 trips to the south saving around 300 slaves. Stations were usually located about 20 miles apart. Slaves would usually hide during the day and travel at night. Conductors used covered wagons or carts with false bottoms to carry slaves from one station to another. Later Plantation owners grew upset with slaves escaping so they passed fines that said: Any person aiding a runaway slave by providing shelter, food or any other form of assistance was liable to six months' imprisonment and a $1,000 fine. This failed to stop the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad helped many slaves get to their destination, freedom.   There were various slave revolts during the institution of slavery. They were supposed to show how slaves resisted and fought back. Many slaves formed groups and led rebellions. They met with each other and told stories, song, and secret plans. House-servants would give news about their masters/mistresses. So, through these meetings they would plan for ways to revolt.     · Denmark Vesey Rebellion See full size image || <span style="color: #d2261c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Denmark was a slave who traveled with his owner, Joseph Vesey. He won $1,500 in the local East Bay Street lottery. He then bought his freedom from Vesey for $600. In the next 20 years, Denmark married and had several of children, but his wife was a slave. He got hope from a rebellion in Santo Domingo that was successful. Later on he became outraged by the enslavement of African Americans, and wanted to get his wife and children free. He led a rebellion that was unsuccessful. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Nat Turner Rebellion <span style="color: #d2261c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <span style="color: #d2261c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="color: #d2261c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Nat Turner was a slave who had a nice master, Benjamin Turner. Later on Benjamin died and his brother, Samuel Turner, took charge. Turner couldn't tolerate Samuel, which is why he fled from Samuel's plantation and lived in the woods. After thirty days, Turner came back, saying that a spirit had sent him to the plantation. Then he had married a slave woman, named, Cherry who also lived on Samuel's plantation. After a while, Samuel died, and once again Turner got a new master, Thomas Moore. Unfortunately, Turner and Cherry were sold to separate owners. Thomas Moore made Turner and other slaves work real hard, but often he let Turner meet Cherry. After about six years Moore died and his ninth son, Joseph Travis, took over. Turner tried to ingratiate with Travis while planning a rebellion. Finally Turner led a rebellion. He had led the most violent slave revolt in American history. Turner's rebellion failed, but it sparked widespread Southern fears regarding the complacency of slaves and the viability of the institution. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Gabriel Prosser Rebellion <span style="color: #d2261c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <span style="color: #d2261c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> He was a deeply religious slave from Henrico County, Virginia. He wanted to attack on the city of Richmond and kill all whites except Methodists, Frenchmen, and Quakers because they were sympathetic to slaves' plight. In the 1800's, approximately 1000 slaves marched on Richmond, but the rain slowed them down on the way. Virginia militia forces put an end to the rebellion. They captured 30 slaves and executed them. Gabriel was captured, and then hanged. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
 * <span style="color: #367215; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Underground Railroad: **<span style="color: #367215; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
 * Rebellions**:
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes;">               <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> ||

<span style="color: #0020f6; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slave codes outlined the rights that slaves had and the acceptable treatment and rules that were to be given to slaves. The codes varied from state to state but there were many common rules. You could not do business with a slave, slaves could be given as a prize in a raffle, and a slave could not own a gun and blacks could not be witnesses in cases. Anyone who helped teach African Americans would be fined and put in jail. Also slaves could not assemble without a white person present. Slave marriages were not considered legal, so splitting up families was no big deal.
 * <span style="color: #0020f6; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sabotage: **<span style="color: #0020f6; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">