Let's use this space to reflect on the actions taken by Black people to procure their freedom in the shadow of the Haitian Revolution. Thoughtfully discuss the following inquiry USING EVIDENCE (citation): Were Blacks helpless victims of enslavement? Your reasoning here will eventually grow and potentially change as we continue to examine this question exploring the actions of Free Blacks in the North.
Why You Must Cite: No Citation; no credit. Remember a part of "Historical Thinking" is Sourcing and the analysis of primary sources are a key aspect of this habit of mind. As you discuss, I'll will assess you for how well you show evidence of such thinking. Perhaps begin by thinking about what assertions you can make and then back-map to determine the best evidence for proving or illustrating your point.
53 comments:
I don't believe Blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. They did not sit around and let people oppress them, they stood up for themselves, even if they weren't successful. Gabriel's, Denmark Vesey's, and Nat Turner's rebellions are a testament to that. These leaders and their followers did not take enslavement lying down, they did something about it. Gabriel's Rebellion (1800), for example, the plan was to march on the city, kill some white inhabitants, and hold the rest. However this plan never came to be because the plot was discovered and the leaders were arrested. Similarly, Vesey's Rebellion (1832) was also discovered and 35 slaves/free blacks, including Vesey, were executed and an equal number were banished from the state. Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831) was the best known of the slave rebellions. Turner was a preacher who believed that God had chosen him to lead a black uprising. On August 22nd, he and his followers marched from farm to farm in Southampton County, VA assaulting whites. By the time the militia put down the rebellion, about 80 slaves had joined Turner, and about 60 whites had been killed (many of the victims were women and children).(Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Class lecture.) This just shows that Blacks were not afraid to take a stand, some were just waiting for the right time. Though some of these insurrections failed, they never stopped occurring. They were serious about this, as shown by the violence with which some of them occurred.
Rather than choosing to revolt, others chose to write spirited/strongly-worded letters to those in high positions. One such example is that of Benjamin Banneker to Thomas Jefferson under the guise of sending him an almanac. In the letter, written in 1791, Banneker pointed out how contradictory Jefferson was. "...you were then impressed with proper ideas of the great valuation of liberty and the free possession of those blessings to which you were entitled by nature; but, sir, how pitiable is it to reflect that...you should at the same tune counteract his mercies in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren under groaning captivity and cruel oppression, that you should at the same time be found guilty of that most criminal act which you professedly detested in others with respect to yourselves." Banneker accuses Jefferson of supporting the idea of ending slaver, however, he still owning slaves himself! He audaciously accuses Jefferson, who was then the Secretary of State at the time, of his conflicting views, showing that he wasn't afraid to speak out on them and that he wasn't helpless. (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." Letter to Thomas Jefferson. 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland.)
I don't think blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. Like Elizabeth said, they did not stay down and let people push them around, they stood for what they thought was right and defended themselves, despite being unsuccessful. All of the rebellions that we talked about (Gabriel's, Vesey's, Turner's, CLASS DISCUSSION) were about standing up and doing something for yourself to get what you wanted. They all perservered and tried their hardest for freedom even though some were quickly shut down because the conspiracies were found out and the conspirators were arrested.
Another way blacks didn't get pushed over was by writing. Benjamin Banneker wrote to Thomas Jefferson on the topic of slavery (Benjamin Banneker: Letter to Jefferson handout). He was pointing out how hyprocritical, in a way, Jefferson was being on his views of slavery. I am sure this stirred emotion and change in Jefferson. Another strong writer was Phillis Wheatley. She wrote to a Reverend on her thoughts about the natural rights and slavery (Phillis Wheatley: Letter to Reverend Samson Occum). In this document, she stated how God would not have wanted these conditions for all people. She used her belief in her religion to show her passion on this topic.
To conclude, blacks were not helpless victims because they did all that they could to help themselves get out of enslavement. Successful or not, they made effort and did not lay down and let people walk all over them as best as they could, and in the end, that is all they could have done in their conditions.
I don't think that Blacks were helpless victims of enslavement because given all the evidence of rebellions we know they weren't helpless. if they were helpless then there would never have been so many rebellions, even when they weren't successful which was mostly always. The video we watched in class about Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831) called,"Possession" (2010), is a great source that explains not all slaves were on board with the idea of killing. This is one reason why almost all slave revolts failed. The one exception is the Haitian Revolution which was the only ever successful revolution by black slaves and was also the focal point of so many other revolutions. Gabriel's Rebellion (1800) was a failure but still is an example of how slaves weren't helpless. the plan was to march on the city, kill the white population, and hold the rest hostage including the Gov. at the time, James Monroe. The plan backfired and was discovered and more than 26 slaves, including Gabriel were either hanged or moved out of state. Demark Vesey's Rebellion (1832) is another example of a black revolution but, like all others, fails in the end. The plan was discovered and "35 slaves and free blacks, including Vesey, and 3 slaves belonging to the Governor, were executed and a equal number banished from the state." (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. Girard Academic Music Program. GAMP, Philadelphia, PA. February 4, 2014. Class discussion.) Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831) was the best known of the slave revolts (other than the Haitian Revolution). Turner was a preacher who thought God chose him to be the leader of a black revolt. Originally, he planed to rebel on July 4th, 1831 but got sick and was not able to. He gathered followers and on August 22nd, they marched from plantation to plantation in the Southampton County, VA attacking whites (usually not the men because they were at a religious revival). The militia put the rebellion to rest and about 80 slaves joined by then and about 60 whites killed being mostly women and children. (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. Girard Academic Music Program. GAMP, Philadelphia, PA. February 4, 2014. Class discussion.) with all the rebellions going on there is no way that blacks were helpless victims because if they were they wouldn't fight back or even think to fight.
Blacks who were educated usually either led rebellions or wrote letters of strong remorse to their cause. Benjamin Banneker was a Black almanac writer who wrote letters to Thomas Jefferson. One letter written in 1791 pointed out to Jefferson how much of a hypocrite. The part reads, "...you were then impressed with proper ideas of the great valuation of liberty and the free possession of those blessings to which you were entitled by nature; but, sir, how pitiable is it to reflect that...you should at the same tune counteract his mercies in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren under groaning captivity and cruel oppression, that you should at the same time be found guilty of that most criminal act which you professedly detested in others with respect to yourselves." (Bannerker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." August 19, 1791. Near Elicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore Country, Maryland.) what he meant by this was that Jefferson supported ending slavery but owned slaves of his own. This was a bold move on Banneker's part to come at the Secretary of State with such accusations. This shows how much bravery Blacks had to stand up for what they believed in and weren't afraid to say it.
So if Blacks were so helpless then slavery would probably still exist today and since it doesn't that means they weren't helpless and were ready to die for their cause of freedom and equality.
I believe that blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. It is clearly shown that they did not just lay around doing nothing. Rebellions that occurred in the south were proof that blacks did fight. For example, 3 famous insurrections; Gabriel's, Denmark Vesey's, and Nat Turner's rebellions (Slave Revolts in the American South-Google Presentation. Brendon Jobs). Even though these insurrections failed, the blacks efforts showed that they were trying. Even though these rebellions happened, some slaves were not sure if they wanted to join in. In these 3 insurrections,the plots would suddenly be discovered before it could ever happened. In Nat Turner's rebellion, a house servant told the master about the plans. This shows that some slaves were not in favor of agreeing to the insurrections, because as discussed in class, what would happen next after the rebellion. (Slave Revolts in the American South-Google Presentation. Brendon Jobs. Class Discussion)
Another example as to why blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement were because of Phyllis Wheatley and Benjamin Banneker. Phyllis Wheatley was an educated slave that the slave owners took care of and helped to take the proper education.(Textbook pg 119-120) She was the first black women to publish a book of poems. Phyllis also wrote a letter to an American Indian priest name Samson Occom. Her letter shows agreement to end of slavery and how God will free the slaves.(Textbook pg 121). I feel as if Phyllis is a symbol that shows that blacks are capable of freedom and education.
Another example is Benjamin Banneker, he was born a free man and had educated himself in science and many languages. In 1791 Ben decided to send a letter to Thomas Jefferson discussing matters of slavery. He compared the slaves to the Americans during the American Revolution. I believe that the whites would be hypocritical if they did not let slaves have their freedom.
There is evidence that supports the claim that Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement despite how difficult being resistant and acquiring some form of freedom proved to be. Many factors such as, the many number of rebellions that occurred prior to the civil war, especially in the South, or blacks making history by becoming writers or leaders of black churches prove that blacks were not allowing themselves to be enslaved by white people. For instance, in Virginia, where slaves easily outnumbered members of white society, there were 84 slave revolts out of the 313 that occurred in mainland America between 1526 and 1864. Specific examples of rebelliousness in the Black community include: Gabriel's rebellion, Nat Turner's rebellion and Denmark Vesey's rebellion and the Haitian Revolution with the latter not only defying slavery but leading to the creation of the first black republic.
One thing in particular that shows how relentless black people were before the Civil War was the creation of the Equality narrative, which is an anti-slavery argument supported by the Bible. In the 19th century there were inferences to biblical situations that were in a letter written by a black poet named Phillis Wheatley. She wrote, "...by the leave of our modern Egyptians, I will assert that the same principle [love of freedom] lives in us." (p. 121 AAH Textbook) Even Nat Turner, had some choice words for his executioners when they asked him if he regretted starting a rebellion. He spoke none but four defiant words, "Was not Christ crucified?" ((Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Class lecture.) Any relation between ending slavery and Christianity would have been seen as horrendous by slave masters who initiated the Submission narrative that used the Bible to support the institution of slavery.
Another form of rebellion that was less violent included using petitions or documentation to prove white people's treatment of black people wrong. Richard Allen proved this to be so in "A Narrative of the Proceedings of the Black People during the late Awful Calamity in Philadelphia in the year 1793: And a Refutation of some Censures thrown upon them in some late Publications." This text included accounts of items ,owned by whites, that were "stolen" by black nurses during the Yellow Fever epidemic.
Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. When I say Blacks I don't mean just African Americans, I mean all blacks like Haitian people for example. Blacks did everything they could to not be oppressed. Many Blacks did things like revolutions and slave rebellions. A very famous revolution that inspired other rebellions, was Haiti's Revolution lead by Toussaint Louverture. The Haitian Revolution was in the Caribbean island of Saint Domingue. This Revolution was inspired by the French Revolution in 1789. Haitians wanted to be freed from the French and fought between 1776-1804 for freedom. "Haiti became the first independent non-European state to be cared out of the European empire" and "The lowest members of society (slaves) became free, equal, independent citizens" This shows that Blacks were dedicated and strong, even though some results may not have been good ones. (Jobs, Brendon. "Global Connections: Haiti battles slavery in an Age of Revolutions
1776-1804" African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 27 Jan. 2014. Class lecture.)
A few slave rebellions that happened in the colonies were Gabriel's Rebellion in 1800, Turner's Rebellion in 1831, and Vesey's Rebellion in 1832. Rebellions originated from resistance to slavery which then eventually turned into rebellion. The first example of a rebellion is Gabriel's Rebellion. Gabriel was a skilled blacksmith; his plan was to march on the Richmond, Virginia. He wanted to kill some white inhabitants and hold the rest as hostages, including Governor James Monroe. But the rebellion was not successful and many slaves, including himself were killed and leaders arrested. The second example is Nat Turner's Rebellion. He was a religious preacher and mystic from Virginia. Turner's plan was to march from farm to farm in Southampton County, VA assaulting whites. When the militia put down the rebellion many slaves were killed. Turner was killed as well. The final example is Denmark Vesey's Rebellion. He was a slave that won his freedom in a lottery. Vesey was an outspoken and charismatic leader in a local African Methodist Church. His conspiracy was a combination of American and African influences. But his plan was too found out and many slaves including himself were executed. All of these rebellions were unsuccessful and their leaders were killed. But still rebellions happened which defiantly shows that Blacks weren't helpless victims of enslavement and were dedicated to getting the freedom they deserved. (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Class lecture.)
In my opinion Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. They did not allow whites to always have it their way. They chose to rebel many times. For example during Gabriel's rebellion they had planned to takeover the land and kill some of the leaders.This plan failed due to the whites finding out. Gabriel and many were then executed. Denmark Vesey's rebellion is another example. Their plan was also found out by some whites and many were executed due to it. Nat Turner's Rebellion is a famous one.One Virgina day Blacks marched the city and killed 60 men. More Blacks were killed than whites, but it still showed the pride they had in them by doing it. (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Class lecture.) In my opinion the fact that all these rebellions happened shows that slaves were not helpless. They all had faith and hope that one day they would overcome the situation they were in.
Instead of revolting others took a less violent way to express their feelings. For example Phillis Wheatly and Benjamin Banneker. Phillis Wheatly was the first black/women to have a book out. She was also a fantastic poet. Wheatly wrote a strong demanding letter to Reverend Samson Occum. She talked about how slaves should be free and she talked about natural rights. She added her religion into the letter because it showed a sign of power to quote God. (Textbook pg.121) Benjamin Banneker wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson. He used Jefferson's words against him. He told Jefferson that he supports ending slavery but the fact that he owns slaves is confusing.(Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." Letter to Thomas Jefferson. 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland.) The letters these two Blacks wrote showed courage that they weren't scared to show how they feel. I support that. These are all examples to why I feel blacks were not helpless victims.
Blacks have been victims of enslavement since about 1619. However, this does not identify them as helpless victims of enslavement. Slaves worked towards freedom in many ways including slave revolts and protesting. Slave revolts were meant as a form of rebellion. At the time, “rebellions were meant to strike fear into the hearts of Americans” (Jobs). Rebellion did this. While the world was starting to pull away from the idea of slavery, in America, slavery was only strengthening. Overall, the Antebellum time period caused a bigger division between free Blacks and enslaved Blacks. However, this did not prevent insurrections from occurring continually. Enslaved Blacks did not give up without a fight.
Efforts towards slave rebellion did not necessarily change the status of slavery, however, they caused some states to question the existence slavery. One of the most well-known slave rebellions was the Nat Turner Rebellion. Nat Turner was a slave preacher in Southampton, Virginia. He strongly believed that God had chosen him to be the leader of a slave revolt. Nat Turner was dangerous because he was a preacher; this made him a threat. The Nat Turner Rebellion was a dramatic and violent rebellion. Eighty slaves had joined Turner and sixty whites were killed. Eventually, Turner and seventeen other followers were captured. Turner’s Rebellion so significant that Virginia leaders debated whether steps should be taken towards gradual emancipation.
Another example of rebellion was Gabriel’s Rebellion. Gabriel was a blacksmith originally from Virginia. His ideal plan was to march into the city from surrounding plantations. Gabriel planned to kill many white inhabitants and hold the rest, including the governor. His main goal was that “poor white inhabitants” would join the revolt. These violent insurrections were proof of how serious blacks took enslavement and showed their determination towards outright rebellion.
Protesting through literature was another efficient system. For example, Phyllis Wheatley wrote to Reverend Samson Occum about the idea of ending slavery. Wheatley protested saying, “…for in every human Breast, God has implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of Oppression, and pants for Deliverance; and by the Leave of our modern Egyptians I will assert, that the same Principle lives in us. God grant Deliverance in his own Way and Time…” (Wheatley). Phyllis Wheatley explains how every human deserves automatic freedom and equality. Wheatley’s letter is an example of protesting. It is less violent and more rational compared to slave revolts.
Wheatley, Phyllis. "Letter to Reverend Samson Occum." Letter Samson Occum. 11 Mar. 1774.
Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Lecture.
I do not believe that blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. There were many rebellions to back up my reasoning. Some rebellions were Gabriel's Rebellion, Denmark Vesey Rebellion and Nat Turners Rebellion. Even though these rebellions weren't completely successful they proved a point and stood up for themselves. During Gabriel's Rebellion in 1800, Gabriel and others were planning to march in to Richmond to kill some white inhabitants. Unfortunately he was arrested and his plan was unsuccessful. (In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts PowerPoint; Brendon Jobs; Class Discussion). The next rebellion Denmark Veseys Rebellion (1832) took place in Charleston South Carolina. Th a rebellion was similar to Gabriel's but a house servant snitched on them to his master (In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts PowerPoint; Brendon Jobs; Class Discussion). This rebellion along with the video "Possessions " show that not all people were on board the rebellion and they all didn't agree with it. Mainly because in return it could be worse for them. Nat turners Rebellion (1831) on August 22nd he and others assaulted white inhabitants. They mainly killed kids and women. Nat Turner was later captured and executed (In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts PowerPoint; Brendon Jobs; Class Discussion). All three of these rebellions and and the video show that the blacks did take a stand against their master and the white inhabitants. These rebellions also later lead to the first black republic.
Another way that blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement was that they did have the right to have a religion and believe in wha they want. It was a central thing for them. Through the bible the blacks were able to gain and learn leadership. This all was because they actually read the bible leading to the fact that they weren't completely limited to reading. The bible gave them a way to learn how to read. In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts PowerPoint; Brendon Jobs; Class Discussion). Many people took stand by writing to a higher authority. People like Phillis Wheatley, and Benjamin Banneker wrote about natural rights and liberty for everyone. Phillis Wheatley was the first African American women to write a book. She fights against enslavement by writing "How well the cry for liberty and the reverse disposition for the exercise of oppression power over others agree, I humbly think it does not require the Penetration of a Philosopher to determine." (Phillis Wheatley; February 11,1774; page 121) this showing that it doesn't take anyone smart or special to realize that everyone no matter who you are should have the right to their own liberty and not have someone power over them. Benjamin Banneker was also another representative that fought for equal rights through his writings and words. In his letter to Jefferson he writes "that although you were so fully convinced of the benevolence of the Father of mpMankind, and of his equal and impartial distribution of these rights and privileges...that you should at the same time counteract his mercies, in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part if my brethren, under groaning captivity and cruel oppression." (Benjamin Banneker; 1791; page 122). This statement is putting Jeffersons own words against him and showing how he lied and didn't respect God. He accuses him of lying and not going by his belief of equal rights. So by this I do bit think blacks were helpless victims of enslavement since they could and they did stand up for themselves in many ways.
Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. They were not quiet and just let it happen, they fought for themselves, successful or not. 3 examples of evidence that we talked about during class are: the rebellions of Vesey, Gabriel, and Nat Turner. Vesey's rebellion (1832) which was discovered,word of the plans were leaked, and authorities arrested them and executed them (African American history textbook p.642). Gabriel's rebellion (1800) never came to be, because the plan was discovered and they were arrested. Nat Turners Rebellion (1831) Turner was a preacher that believed God chose him to lead the blacks out of enslavement, although it ended the same way as the others. A really good piece of evidence was the map in the class lecture (Jobs, Brendon "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South" GAMP, PA Feb. 4 lecture) that showed the number of slave revolts in the cities. That shows that although they did not succeed they still tried.
Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. Many blacks revolted against their white masters. Blacks formed groups or individually revolted. In “The spirit of Haiti: Slave revolts” it talks about three major revolts in American history. One of the three major revolts was called Gabriel’s rebellion. Gabriel and a group of others would go to the city and kill many white people. They wanted to keep James Monroe, the governor held captive. They would only release him if he agreed to end slavery. Unfortunately they never got to do their plan because they were caught. Gabriel and other slaves involved in the plan were all hanged. The second major revolt was called Denmark Vesey rebellion. Denmark Vesey was a slave who bought his freedom. He despised whites. He believed “All men had equal rights, blacks as well as whites.” Vesey’s plan was discovered before the chance to execute it. Vesey and thirty five other slaves were killed. Others involved in the plan were expelled from the state of South Carolina. Nat Turner’s rebellion was the best of the three. Nat Turner was a slave preacher from Virginia. He claims that God came to him and instructed him to lead an uprising. On August 22, 1831 he and a group of blacks killed many whites. Most of which were women and children because the men were at a meeting in North Carolina. About sixty whites were killed from Nat and his group. Nat’s rebellion was only one to actually do the plan and to affect the whites. Nat and seventeen others were found and killed. Because of this revolt many whites were very violent to their slaves then on to make sure they didn’t get any ideas of revolt. Laws were made for blacks to no longer be able to be preachers as well as learn to read.
Not all blacks revolted with violence. Some people wrote letters. These letters were inspired by enlightenment. Two well known letters was written by Phyllis Wheatley (Phillis Wheatley: Letter to Reverend Samson Occum) and Benjamin Banneker (Benjamin Banneker: Letter to Jefferson handout). On page 136 of the textbook it says “Both believed that one could not claim to support the highest principles of the Enlightenment and, at the same time, deny the basic equality of whites and blacks.” Both letters made a difference. Banneker’s made a huge impact on Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was a well respected man. He was secretary of the state. The letters shifted Thomas Jefferson’s views completely.
So as you can see Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. They fought for their freedom. They did so violently or by sending a message. They went through a lot physically and emotionally. Even through all that they never gave up hope that one day they would be free. That one day came and they won that battle for freedom.
I believe it was very clear that Blacks were far from being helpless victims of slavery. There were many prime examples of protests, outward disobedience to the white masters, and even revolts and insurrections. From the image shown in class, it was recorded that in the years 1526 to 1860, eighty four slave revolts had happened in Virginia alone, forty two in Louisiana, twenty six in Mississippi, and forty two in South Carolina (Slave Insurrections 1526-1864. Digital image. Slave Revolts in the American South. Brendon Jobs, Web. 14 Feb. 2014.). This alone already totals to one hundred and ninety four insurrections in just these four states. This is obviously not the actions of a helpless group of victims sitting idly by for the help of a white savior. Even if many of them did not succeed, even if many of them knew the chances of any of these revolts succeeding were low and unlikely, they kept trying and trying to achieve their goal of freedom and equality, and it’s this level of persistence that further supports my belief that the Blacks were not quiet little victims in this society.
If this is not a clear enough sign that Blacks were more than fed up with this immoral institution and acted against it, there’s another reason why I think Blacks were not helpless victims of slavery and that is the actions took by free Blacks towards manumission and equality. The letter to Jefferson that Benjamin Banneker wrote further proves my point, as he not only stated clearly to Thomas Jefferson where he stands in the debate, but almost pointed fingers at him for ironically going against his own document; “Here was a time, in which your tender feelings for yourselves had engaged you thus to declare, you were then impressed with proper ideas of the great violation of liberty [...] but, Sir, how pitiable is it to reflect, that although you were so fully convinced of the benevolence of the Father of Mankind, and of his equal and impartial distribution of these rights and privileges, which he hath conferred upon them, that you should at the same time counteract his mercies, in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren, [...] that you should at the same time be found guilty of that most criminal act, which you professedly detested in others, with respect to yourselves.” (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." Letter to Thomas Jefferson. 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland.) For a Black person, even if free, to write a letter to the esteemed Jefferson, especially of these matters, was boldly dangerous. It’s a huge statement that goes to show the courage and audacity that these people had in them to try and gain their freedom, which to me greatly supports my belief that they were far from cowering, impotent victims of slavery.
In my opinion blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. The main reason I think this is because of the revolts. During this time blacks did not just sit back and accept the fact that they were slaves many of them fought back. They were not always successful but they never gave up. Mr. Jobs gave us a good example of this when he was trying to get to the other side of the wall but there was obviously a brick wall in the way (Brendon Jobs Class Discussion). This showed how for years they tried and tried but were getting nowhere. One example of this was Gabriel's Rebellion(1800).A plan/ strategy was made but was overthrown when the plot was found and leaders were arrested. This is just one example of blacks attempts to fight for their own freedom another rebellion that we spoke of in class was Vesey's Rebellion (1832).Vesey's Rebellion was also discovered, Vesey was killed along with many others including free blacks and slaves.
Others took a different approach to try to gain their rights of freedom. An educated slave named Phyllis Wheatley was the first Black woman to publish a book of poems(Textbook 119-120). Phyllis wrote a letter to an American priest named Samson Occom .Phyllis's letter talked of freedom and peace in a very respectful way. Phyllis's letter did not speak of any type of violence in fact it seemed like she was somewhat in agreeance with Samson Occom. This letter showed a civilized black trying to get her point across in a educated way rather than doing it through violence hatred and revenge. Another letter we read about was Benjamin Banneker's letter to Thomas Jefferson. (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." Letter to Thomas Jefferson. 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland.) Banneker took a slightly different approach than Wheatley , still peaceful but more direct. Banneker spoke of how Jefferson supported the termination of slavery but also pointed out the fact that Jefferson still owned slaves. This letter showed bravery and determination from a black man which to me is another strong reason why blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement.
Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement, and the amount of rebellions that took place proved it. During 1526-1864, there were over 194 documented slave rebellions ("Slave Revolts in the American South" presentation). All of these were inspired by the Haitian Revolution, which was led by Toussaint Louverture, a prime example of a slave deciding enough was enough. Even though he did not get to see the result of his efforts, the slaves of Haiti gained freedom because of him ("The Haitian Revoltion" presentation). Other slaves beside Louverture led rebellions, the most notable being Gabriel, Denmark Vessey, and Nat Turner. Even though their rebellions were not successful, it showed that they refused to sit there and accept their positions. It was better to die trying (class discussion, February 11th).
Religion played an important role in the rebellions. Nat Turner, for example, believed that he was "chosen by God to lead a black uprising " ("Slave Revolts in the American South" presentation). The Bible was interpreted as two narratives: the equality narrative and the obedience narrative (class discussion). The equality narrative, obviously, worked in the favor of the rebels' arguments. The obedience narrative worked in the favor of the slave owners' argument.
The blacks even tried to gain the white people's favor during the Yellow Fever epidemic, but to no avail. Blacks tried their best, both in argument and violent rebellion, to get out of their situation and be free.
I believe there is sufficient evidence to prove that Blacks were by not helpless victims of enslavement. Throughout the history of slavery and the enslavement of the Blacks we see that there are constant efforts to relieve their oppression. There were forces of anti-slavery present. The first set of examples of the Blacks fight for freedom are the many slave insurrections, and revolts we see. In class we view a map of America and actually saw that there were actually hundreds of slave insurrections in almost every state.(Slave Revolts in American South Powerpoint). Interestingly enough the state of Virginia which actually has the most plantations, and highest slave population has the most slave Insurrections and revolts. This alone shows that Blacks were in a constant struggle for their freedom and in the place where slavery was most certainly strong they were fighting. One specific revolution was Gabriel's Rebellion(1800-Virginia). This one is a fairly wee know rebellion, even though it was not successful it was a testament to the stand against slavery on the plantations themselves. Outside of the American plantations Touisant Loverture had led a successful slave revolt in Haiti that showed that the Blacks could take a stand and over throw, but in the end he was almost shown to be no threat when the French removed him from a position of power. Still the fact that he was able to relinquish slavery in his area can support the Blacks not being helpless.(Class discussion).
Outside of pyshical revolts and insurrections the Free-blacks in the North of America were taking a stand against slavery. A very well known example is the letter written to Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Banneker a very educated black man. He talked about the contradictions that were present in the ideas of the natural rights ensured to men, and the flaws in the way Jefferson led a Christian life, yet contradicted his beliefs through slavery.( (Benjamin Banneker: Letter to Jefferson handout). There was also the development of The Free African Society(Established in 1787) in the North that was also a part of the political ways the fight against slavery progressed. I think there are many examples to be pointed out along with these that can prove Blacks were defineatly not helpless to enslavement.
I believe that blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. I liked what Elizabeth said. She said that they did not stay down and let people push them around. They stood up for that they believed in and thought was right and defended themselfs despite being unsuccessful. Blacks did everything they could to not be oppressed. Blacks even did things like revolutions or slave rebellions. There are two rebellions that come to my mind when I think of this. The first one being Haiti's Rebellion and then Gabriel's. Probably the most famous rebellions was Haiti's rebellion that was led by Toussaint Louvertrue. This rebellion took place in the Caribbean Island of Saint Domingue. This rebellion was inspired by the French in 1789. Haitians wanted to be free from the French: so they fought from 1776-1804 for their right of freedom.
Another reason why I don't believe that blacks were helpless victims of enslavement is because they never allowed whites to have complete control of them. They didn't always allow whites to have their way. Another rebellion that comes to mind is the Gabriel's Rebellion. In Gabriel's rebellion the blacks had planned to take over land. Also in this rebellion blacks had planned to kill the main leaders. But sadly their plans failed because of other whites finding out. These are the reasons why I believe that black were not in anyway helpless victims of enslavement.
I personally, do not believe blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. My reasoning is, yes with out a doubt blacks were not treated the best, however the stood up for themselves and their beliefs, even if they were not always successful. All of our in class lectures on Gabriell's, Denmark Vesey's, and Nat Turners Rebellion's are proof of that. I agree with Elizabeth Daria and Caytlen. There are multiple examples that support my opinion, however one thing in particular that shows how persistent blacks were before the Civil War was the creation of the Equality narrative.This particular narrative is an anti-slavery argument supported by the Bible.A a black poet named Phillis Wheatley wrote "by the leave of our modern Egyptians, I will assert that the same principle love of freedom lives in us." (p. 121 AAH Textbook) Nat Turner's Rebellion in 1831 was the most popular regarding slave rebellions.Nat Turner was a preacher who believed God had called upon him to lead a black uprising (slave rebellion) One day blacks killed 60 men. More Blacks were killed than whites, however it definitely showed how strong their beliefs were and how important this was to them. (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Class lecture.) However, not all blacks revolted resulting in violence, and anger. Others chose to write letters such as Phyillis Wheatley (Phillis Wheatley: Letter to Reverend Samson Occum) as previously stated and Benjamin Banneker(Benjamin Banneker: Letter to Jefferson handout). These letters written not only stood up for themselves, and their personal believes but also, believes and rights they believe should be distributed to the entire race.
So to conclude my thoughts, blacks were not helpless victimes of enslavement. They did their best to do what they thought was right. Whether that be violence, letters or anything they still tried to get their message across. However, I will give them credit because in the long hall, the battle was won.
It is obvious that Blacks were victims of enslavement, but they were not necessarily helpless. Even though there were laws and people trying to take away the rights of Blacks, they still fought back and protested. A clear example of this is the various slave rebellions. In fact, there were 313 documented insurrections in the antebellum south, according to the map from our class lecture (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Class lecture). Three of the largest slave rebellions were Gabriel's, Denmark Vesey's, and Nat Turners. While Gabriel and Vesey's plans were discovered, about 80 other slaves had joined in Nat Turner's before they were captured. They also assaulted and killed about 60 whites. The fact that they could overcome those people shows that the Blacks were not helpless. Another successful rebellion was the Haitian Revolution. The slave army led by Toussant Louverture was eventually able to gain freedom for Haiti, making it the first Black republic in the world. These rebellions showed that the Blacks were not helpless and could fight against their oppressors.
Aside from rebellions, Blacks also used letters and narratives to protest slavery. Many used the equality narrative of the Bible to prove that all men are equal. Several aspects of the Bible support this view such as the story of Moses and the ten commandments. Also, some Blacks wrote letters to give their opinion on the abolition of slavery. For example, Benjamin Banneker wrote to Thomas Jefferson, who was the Secretary of State, stating that while Jefferson supported ending slavery he, "should at the same time be found guilty of that most criminal act, which you professedly detested in others, with respect to yourselves" (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." Letter to Thomas Jefferson. 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland.). He points fingers at Jefferson and makes his opinion clear. In Phillis Wheatley's letter to Samson Occum she writes on her opinions on slavery, telling Occum, "This I desire not for their Hurt, but to convince them of the strange Absurdity of their Conduct whose Words and Actions are so diametrically, opposite. How well the Cry for Liberty, and the reverse Disposition for the exercise of oppressive Power over others agree, -- I humbly think it does not require the Penetration of a Philosopher to determine". She writes of her belief that God will vindicate the slaves, and connects her views to Natural Rights.
Lastly, narratives such as Richard Allen's book show that Blacks did not sit there and let their opinions be unheard. When some of his volunteer nurses were accused of stealing during the Fever of 1793, he reccounted the events in, "A Narrative of the Proceedings of the Black People during the late Awful Calamity in Philadelphia in the year 1793: And a Refutation of some Censures thrown upon them in some late Publications.". Not only was this the first book published by a Black man, but it showed that he would not allow those Blacks to be accused of something they did not do. I think the fact that Blacks like Banneker, Wheatley, and Allen spoke up shows that they were not helpless. Instead of using violence they were able to use their words and opinions to protest slavery. In conclusion, even though Blacks faced many hardships during their enslavement, their fights for equality prove that they were not helpless victims of it.
I don't believe blacks are helpless victims of enslavement because of rebellion or protest. As other people have mentioned the slaves did not just let this happen something was done about it. Their plan was basically to kill white inhabitants which is what Gabriel's Rebellion said. In the Declaration of Independence it was said that everyone was to be treated equal. So the slaves took that into consideration and used that to basically rebel. I feel as though protest is big in this answer. There is a saying that goes "stop the violence, increase the peace." This saying should have said something and opened eyes for the slaves and other people. Black did anything in their will to not be oppressed. I would be doing the same thing. So, to have blacks being oppressed and taken advantage, for them just would not do. I am glad that they stood up for what was right even if it could have potentially hurt them in the end.
In my opinion, blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. Blacks were not only referred to as African Americans, but also blacks like the Haitian people. Blacks did everything they could to not be persecuted, such things as revolutions and slave rebellions. The Haitian Revolution was very famous which inspired other rebellions. This particular revolution was led by Toussaint Louverture. This Revolution was inspired by the French Revolution in 1789. Haitians wanted to be freed even though he did not get to see the result of his efforts, the slaves of Haiti gained freedom because of him and fought between 1776-1804 for freedom. Blacks were dedicated and strong, even though some results may not have been good ones. (Jobs, Brendon. "Global Connections: Haiti battles slavery in an Age of Revolutions
1776-1804" (African American History. GAMP. Philadelphia. 27 Jan. 2014. Class lecture.)
A few slave rebellions that happened in the colonies were Gabriel's Rebellion, Turner's Rebellion, and Vesey's Rebellion. Resistance to slavery occasionally moved beyond such individuals and group acts to outright rebellion. Rebellion originated from resistance to slavery which then eventually turned into rebellion. Gabriel's Rebellion is one of the most well-known rebellions, which took place in the 1800’s. His rebellion was organized in Richmond, Virginia. Gabriel was an experienced blacksmith, whose plan was to march in the city of Virginia, which soon became the state capital, from plantations. Gabriel and his fellow rebels would kill so many white laborers and hold on to the rest including Governor James Monroe until abolition for slavery was met. Twenty six of the slaves including Gabriel were later hung and transported out of state. Denmark Vesey’s Rebellion also took place in the 1800’s but more specific, took place in 1832, in Charleston, South Carolina. Vesey was a slave carpenter who purchased freedom after winning the lottery. He was a charismatic leader, who rebuked blacks and took the leading role in the African Methodist Church. Vesey’s conspiracy reflected both American and African influences which circulated in the Atlantic World. We also learned that The Atlantic World is an example of diaspora. He quoted the Declaration of Independence and had debates in Congress regarding the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise happened in 1820 and permitted Missouri to enter the union as a slave state and Maine to enter the union as a free state. Nat Turner’s Rebellion also took place in the 1800’s. It was known as a Horrid Massacre held in Virginia. Turner was a slave preacher and religious mystic. He believed God chose him to lead the blacks. But on July 4th of 1831, his rebellion fell ill. Most of the victims of his rebellion were women and children. Turner was captured and killed along with seventeen other rebels. (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South." (African American History. GAMP.Philadelphia. 4 Feb. 2014. Class lecture.)
Blacks were in no way helpless victims of slavery. A helpless victim does not revolt or create such an antagonistic atmosphere as existed between slave and master. Slaves displayed their unquenchable thirst for freedom by continuously revolting. In class we reviewed the number of slave revolts that took place in different states as we looked over the slave revolts in the Antebellum era PowerPoint. Some of the states with the highest volume of revolts were Virginia with 84 and Louisiana and South Carolina with 42 respectively. These revolts were very personal which was displayed in the short film "Possessions" which offered a representation of Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831). It showed the hatred and conflicting feelings that slaves could have during revolts. During this specific revolt, which we went over in the previously stated PowerPoint, slaves went from plantation to plantation killing whites, freeing slaves, and building an unorganized, but very angry mob. In the end the revolt failed, as always. This was a commonplace feature of slave revolts. There was only one semi-successful slave revolt which was the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804). Despite this revolts success it caused the rest of the world to basically turn its back on Saint Dominigue (Jobs, Brendon. "Global Connections: Haiti battles slavery in an Age of Revolutions 1776-1804" African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 27 Jan. 2014. Class lecture.) Despite this the slaves there were still successful in ending slavery in what would come to be called Haiti. The continuous slave revolts which, save for one, always failed clearly supports the assertion that slaves were not helpless victims of slavery.
Blacks were not helpless victims of slavery. It’s evident that slaves stood for their rights and freedom throughout the numerous amounts of rebellions. The Haitian Revolution was inspired by a French revolt which inspired other rebellions to ignite. Gabriel’s rebellion occurred in Virginia around the 1800s. As stated in the power point showed in class, Gabriel had a plan to “march on the city, which had recently become the state capital, from surrounding plantations.” He and other slaves attempted to kill whites and hold the rest captive including the Governor. In the end they were hanged however that didn’t stop other slave revolts. Denmark Vesey was slave who worked as a carpenter. He became free by the lottery and purchasing his freedom. Vesey was outspoken man who “made pronouncements like “all men had equal rights, blacks as well as whites”, which was cited in the power point by Mr. Jobs. He and his followers were killed. Nat Turner’s rebellion is the finest acknowledged rebellion. Nat Turner felt as though he was the “chosen one” as if God selected him to lead a revolution. He became sick the day before the judgment day however he and followers marched around Virginia killing mostly children and women. He had more than 80 supportive slaves who helped him kill up to 60 whites. Nat and 17 other rebels were captured and killed. Blacks were not helpless because they stood up for themselves. They did everything in their power to help themselves with becoming free.
In my opinion, I do not think that Blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. Although usually outnumbered or heavily watched, they were able to fight back against their oppressors and resist them at one point or another. Blacks would either resist actively through fights and rebellions, or passively through notes and letters.
In active rebellion, blacks would conspire and work to fight back against the whites. There were a couple of well-known active slave rebellions that happened through the Antebellum period. One of these is "Gabriel's Rebellion". This rebellion occurred in 1800, Virginia. Organized by a man named Gabriel, they planned to kill/hold whites hostage, including then Governor Monroe. Another of these rebellions is "Vesey's Rebellion". This one occurred in 1822, Charleston, South Carolina. An ex-slave named Denmark Vesey also attempted to gather a group of supporters to fight back against the whites. Both of these conspiracies, however, were discovered before they came to fruition and resulted in many slave executions or expulsions. Another rebellion did come to fruition though, one lead by a man named Nat Turner. He was a preacher and religion mystic in Southhampton County, Virginia. He believed he was chose by God, and so on August 22nd of 1831, he and his followers stormed farms and assaulted the white inhabitants (Jobs, Brendon; "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South" Lecture)
When speaking of slave resistance, most people ignore the passive resistance that blacks had put up. One of these is a letter written by Benjamin Banneker to then Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, in 1791. He used Jefferson's words in the Declaration of Independence to support himself and to show the hypocrisy that the whites had. Although they all wanted independence from this British, they were not willing to provide the same to the slaves they held. (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland). Another of these letters includes one written by Phyllis Wheatley. To a minister, she wrote about the natural want for freedom and independence (Prentice Hall; African American History).
Denmark Vesey was a slave who worked as a carpenter. He became free from winning the lottery and he purchased his freedom with his winnings. Vesey was very outspoken and he thought that "all men had equal rights, blacks as well as whites". (Shown in the power point that Mr. Job presented in class.) Nat Turner felt like he was the chosen one and that God selected him to be the one to lead the revolution. When he became sick the day before the judgement day he marched around Virginia killing children and women. There were more than 80 slaves that helped him kill more than 60 whites. The Haitian Revolution was inspired by the French revolt. (Showed in class)
I don't believe blacks are helpless victims of enslavement because of rebellion. As other people have mentioned the slaves did not just let this happen they had protests. Their plan was basically to kill white inhabitants which was said by Gabriel. Everybody is supposed to be treated equally which the Declaration of Independence had said. So the slaves took that into consideration and used that to rebel. There is a saying that goes "stop the violence, increase the peace." This saying should have said something and opened eyes for the slaves. So, to have blacks being oppressed and taken advantage, is basically not acceptable. I am glad that they stood up for what was right even if it could have potentially hurt them in the end.
I don't think Blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. Sometimes they did not succeed, they did not give up. There were several rebellions, Gabriel's, Denmark Vesey's, and Nat Turner's. Although they were victims, I do not believe that were necessarily helpless. Some blacks knew how to read and write. For example, Benjamin Banneker and Phillis Wheatley, they both wrote letters to important figures expressing their feelings.Phillis Wheatley was the first black women to publish a book of poems Phillis wrote in her letter, "By no Means, for in every human Breast, God has implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of Oppression, and pants for deliverance." She also said, "I humbly think it does not require the Penetration of a Philosopher to determine." (Prentice Hall. African American History Textbook). Phillis was not afraid to speak out. Her letter was a protest. Slaves were not expected to know how to read and write. I agree with Lea, Benjamin Banneker when she said, ". He was pointing out how hyprocritical, in a way, Jefferson was being on his views of slavery." Benjamin was repetative with the word "sir" and it had made a difference.
One of the keys to rebellion and protesting of the slaves was their knowledge and religion. Denmark Vesey was capable of reading and he used that to his best abilities. Vesey often quoted the bible and he used African religions to promote his revolutionary plans. Toussaint Louverture played a big role in Haiti's Revolution. He was hope for the people of Haiti. He led the people of Haiti to independence. Another figure was Richard Allen, Richard Allen wrote a book called, "A Narrative of the Proceedings of the Black People during the late Awful Calamity in Philadelphia in the year 1793: And a Refutation of some Censures Thrown Upon Them in Some Late Publications." Richard Allen encouraged Black women to nurse white women back to help during the Yellow Fever, but instead, they accused the blacks of stealing from them. Although some of these revolts, rebellions, and protest failed, it proves that Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement.
In my opinion, I do not think that Blacks were helpless victims of enslavement.As other people have mentioned the slaves did not just let this happen they had protests.In active rebellion, blacks would conspire and work to fight back against the whites. There were a couple of well-known active slave rebellions that happened through the Antebellum period.This rebellion occurred in 1800, Virginia. Organized by a man named Gabriel, they planned to kill/hold whites hostage, including then Governor Monroe. Another of these rebellions is "Vesey's Rebellion". This one occurred in 1822, Charleston, South Carolina. An ex-slave named Denmark Vesey also attempted to gather a group of supporters to fight back against the whites. Black did anything in their will to not be oppressed. I would be doing the same thing.So to conclude my thoughts, blacks were not helpless victimes of enslavement. They fought against their own rights and fought to make a change.
Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. There have been many records of insurrections and letters that brought forth the idea of liberty. Although none of them were completely successful, it still showed their valiant effort to change their circumstances. Turner’s Rebellion and Vesey’s Rebellion were among the most known ones. Both of these occurred during the Antebellum period.
Vesey’s Rebellion almost took place in 1832. As a former slave, he knew the pain and suffering many of his brethren endured. Vesey gathered up men who would willingly risk their life for emancipation. However, as the date of the planned rebellion approached, it was thwarted by someone who spoke of the plan to white masters. Many were executed or exiled to different states.
Turner’s Rebellion did have some result. Turner was extremely violent and slayed many whites. His rebellion occurred in 1831. Turner was a slave preacher who strongly believed that he was chosen by God to lead his brothers into rebellion. Although many perished, Turner and many of his men were caught and executed. (Jobs, Brendon. "In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antebellum American South.")
Letters were also an important part of rising up against slavery as they proved that Blacks were not mindless creatures. Specifically, Wheatley and Banneker’s letter showed evidence that Blacks can be well educated. Banneker wrote to who was then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Banneker’s letter pointed out the hypocrisy in the white man’s cry of liberty and along with the letter, presented unto him a well made almanac. Wheatley’s letter to a minister involved (what should be) an obvious wanting for a human’s natural rights. (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland) (Prentice Hall; African American History).
I do not believe blacks were helpless victims of enslavement because although they were captured and forced to be put into these positions; the act of rebellion was always a possibility. A possibility that would force major consequences if performed and caught, but still a possibility. The thing that kept blacks from resisting was fear. Fear was what slavery was built on and it was what was used to control it's victims. Fear and the way it is used to control people is something we often talk about in class.
Resistance to slavery happened often, but three huge conspiracy happened within the range of 31 years in particular. These slave rebellions included the Denmark Vesey Rebellion, Nat Turner's Rebellion, and Gabriel's Rebellion all taking place in the 1800s. Although all of these conspiracies failed, they were still an attempt to fight for their rights and freedom and break free from their enslavement. I know all of this information due to Mr. Job's power point titled "Slave Revolts in the American South." I took notes on these rebellions and used my notes to reference them. These revolts were a perfect example of how blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement, because they had the choice to fight! Even if their fighting caused death and failure, they still had the choice to fight for themselves or just let enslavement consume their life.
I don’t believe that Blacks were helpless victims of enslavement because of the several rebellions that took place during the enslavement of blacks. Even though some of the rebellions failed, they still made a big impact. For example, the Haitian Revolution that was led by Toussaint Louverture. Although the rebellion wasn’t a big success, "Haiti became the first independent non-European state to be cared out of the European empire". Of course the revolution came with a few consequences, but the Haitians also got something out of it. "The lowest members of society (slaves) became free, equal, independent citizens" , which is proving that they made some difference involving enslavement which does not make them helpless victims.
Also, just because the rebellion isn’t a success you can still make a big difference and impact. Generally speaking on Nat Turner’s Rebellion. During his rebellion, the blacks traveled from town to town invading the homes of whites and killing them. Although the rebellion failed, they did what they wanted to do and got some sort of revenge back. So, I wouldn’t label blacks as “ helpless victims” because they have made many differences and have had good things come out of their rebellions. I believe that helpless means to not have the ability to achieve your goal in any form, and blacks absolutely did.
Citation ; (Jobs, Brendon. "Global Connections: Haiti battles slavery in an Age of Revolutions 1776-1804" African American History. GAMP. GAMP, Philadelphia. 27 Jan. 2014. Class lecture)
I think that there are two ways to look at the question. It says that there were 313 slave uprisings from 1526 to 1864 on the third slide of In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts (in class Power Point GAMP, Mr. Jobs) It shows that Virginia had 84 slave revolts during those years. Louisianna had 42. That is a lot of power. Nat Turner’s Rebellion really scared the whites but it also shows that a lot of the uprisings were kept to a few men who went crazy and got violent. That shows you that even though there were many uprisings they were not helpful.
Think of the story of Harriet Tubman. (pg. 374; African American History; Prentice Hall; Darlene Clark Hine, 2006) She escaped to the North on her own but she didn’t just stop there. She helped slaves escape from their curse with the Underground Railroad. She carried a gun and sometimes used violence. She was a spy for the Union Army during the Civil War. She was a black women who was not helpless.
But when you think of how many blacks there were in the South, it still makes you think about why they didn’t just rise up and outnumber the slave owners in a war. My opinion is that the side that has the guns really has the power. It also shows you the power of terror and violence. I always wonder why the Jews did not rise up in Auschwitz. But then you see that the Nazis used attitude and beatings to scare the Jews so badly that no one wanted to risk being the one who would get tortured. It shows how violence can affect people.
In conclusion some blacks were not hapless victims of slavery because there were a few who did what they could to stop the movement of slavery from growing.
In class we have discussed alot about black slave rebellions. We now must answer the question, were blacks helpless victims of enslavement. I think that the answer is obviously, no. Blacks were definitely not helpless victims of enslavement. There is tons of evidence that would prove this. There were hundreds of slave insurrections took place in the south. That alone proves that blacks were not helpless, because they fought. Even though these insurrections were not successful in the way they wanted them to be, they still sent a message to whites that they would not stand for this and that they would never give up until they were freed.
Gabriel's rebellion was organized by a blacksmith in Richmond, Virginia in 1800. (Brendon Jobs, In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolt PowerPoint). This rebellion along with Denmark Vesey's rebellion and Nat Turner's rebellion failed but they all sent the message that they would make their voices heard and that they would not rest until they were freed.
Nat Turner's rebellion was the largest and most famous slave insurrection. Turner was a preacher in Virginia who believed that God was telling him to lead a black slave rebellion. He and a group of his followers went from plantation to plantation assaulting and killing the whites who lived there on August 22, 1831. He and 17 other rebels were sentenced to death. This rebellion was not successful but it was very important. It's sent a huge message through the entire south. (Brendon Jobs, In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts PowerPoint.) The slave insurrection prove that blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement.
I do not believe blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. Blacks were victims, but they were certainly not weak or helpless. They proved that by a series of revolts. As stated in class, revolts are the resistance to slavery occasionally moved beyond such individual and group acts to outright rebellion. The first revolution that inspired many African Americans to rebel was the Haitian revolution lead by the courageous Toussaint Louverture. This revolution sparked several rebellions such as Gabriel's, Denmark Vesey's, and Nat Turner's. The plan of Gabriel's Rebellion which took place in the 1800's was to march into the city, kill some whites, and to hold some hostage until their demand to eliminate slavery was met. However, this was never able to occur because their plan was discovered and their leaders were arrested. Similar to that, Denmark Vesey's plan was founded and blacks that were supposed to be involved in the rebellion were executed. One of the most powerful and effective slave revolts was Nat Turner's. Nat Turner was a preacher who strongly believed God had called upon him to lead an uprising, and to push for freedom. All of these rebellions show that African Americans did not take bull from whites, and they were certainly not going to sit back and be dehumanized. Failure after failure, blacks never stopped rebelling. This shows how dedicated they were to gaining their freedom and rights. Not only did African Americans rebel, but some black philosophers also wrote strongly worded letters to high authority. For example, Benjamin Banneker wrote a letter to Tomas Jefferson. In his letter, he stated, "Being to us all...however diversified in situation or color, we are all of the same family, and stand in the same relation to him." Banneker is cleary saying that god created us all the same disregarding color, therefore, equality is a given.
I feel as though Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. With this said, blacks did not sit around and continue to live in a miserable life of slavery they tried their hardest to fight on break out of the brutal conditions they were living under. In spite of slavery many blacks started rebellions and were tired of being a Slave for example in the rebellion of Nat Turner(1831). Nat Turner's Rebellion was a slave rebellion that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, during August 1831. This rebellion was led by general Nat Turner where slaves rebelled and many whites who kept them inslaved and mistreated them as a act of revenge. By killing the whites this was an escape to freedom because they would not longer be owned. On the other hand , like in the video "Possession"(2010) some blacks felt as though these acts were not right and refused to kill whole families just the person who kept them enslaved. Two people who helped show the world that blacks were not proud of slavery were Benjamin Banneker and Phyllis Wheatley. Benjamin Banneker wrote a letter to the president of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson. Showing his views on slavery and how Jefferson owns slaves but wants to end slavery and why he thinks slavery should be stopped (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." Letter to Thomas Jefferson. 19 Aug. 1791. Near Ellicotts' Lower Mills, Baltimore County, Maryland.).Also, the first published African American female wrote a letter to Samson Occum. Wheatley showed great power when writing the letter persuading him the freedom of slavery and the natural rights doctrine. Phyllis Wheatley quoted God in her letter showing a great sign of power to show the tyler of person she was and how she was not afraid to fight for her rights and the rights of her people( p. 121). The natural rights doctrine states that an individual enters into society with certain basic rights and that no government can deny those rights. All these examples show how blacks were not victims of enslavement and how hard they tried to be free and fight for what they believed in.
I do not believe that blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. I believe this because there were many rebellions. Rbellions like, Gabriel's Rebellion, Denmark Vesey Rebellion and Nat Turners Rebellion. These rebellions weren't so successful but they still proved what they wanted to be proven. In the Gabriel's rebellion in 1800 Gabriel and others were planning to march in to Richmond to kill some white inhabitants. While his rebellion was happening he got arrested and the rebellion was unsuccessful. Another example could be The Denmark Vesey's rebellion. The idea for that rebellion was another idea that wasn.t so successful. Many people were executed because of it. In 1831 The Nat Turner Rebellion, Nat Turner was a preacher. He believed that he was "the chosen one", that God chose him to lead a black uprising. On August 22nd, Turner and others marched from farm to farm in Southampton County, VA assaulting whites. Nat Turner was captured soon after and then executed (In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts PowerPoint; Brendon Jobs; Class Discussion). All of these rebellions show that blacks did try to stand up and fight for what they wanted. I agree with Elizabeth in her second paragraph fully, about the whole Banneker and Jerfferson thing. They did speak out and stand up for what they wanted.
African Americans were not helpless victims of enslavement. The always had a way to get through the tough times, even if they did not succeed. Gabriel, Denmark Vesey, and Nat Turner; they were all rebels fighting for a reason. FREEDOM. Blacks just want equal treatment and not just treating them like animals. For example, Declaration of Independence it said that everyone was to be treated equal. That's exactly what African Americans wanted. The reason why the Blacks have a lot of history rebelling driving enslavement, they fought for what is right and eventually got it.
I do not believe that blacks were helpless, necessarily. They eventually fought for their freedom and rights with time and protest. There were many rebellions ignited throughout the South. They obviously weren't letting themselves be oppressed. some examples of these rebellions were the insurrections in the South (like the ones we discussed in class.) Gabriel's rebellion and Denmark Vesey's (found in class discussion of Gabriel's, Vesey's, Turner's insurrections)rebellions both showed a vigorous fight for what they believed in. They did not give up and give in to being objectified and enslaved. They fought for what was right even though there efforts were futile. This is definitely not being helpless.
Another example of blacks standing up for their beliefs is Benjamin Banneker when he sent his letter and almanac to Thomas Jefferson. The whole letter was rebellion within itself. He was brave enough to let people know his opinions regardless of their stature in authority. He wasn't afraid to let Jefferson know that he was being hypocritical. the part in the letter where it says "...you were then impressed with proper ideas of the great valuation of liberty and the free possession of those blessings to which you were entitled by nature; but, sir, how pitiable is it to reflect that...you should at the same tune counteract his mercies in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren under groaning captivity and cruel oppression, that you should at the same time be found guilty of that most criminal act which you professedly detested in others with respect to yourselves." (found in the Banneker, Benjamin. "letter to Thomas Jefferson" piece we were given in class.) is clearly showing rebellion.
I don't believe blacks were helpless at all. They continuously rebelled and protested for their freedom and rights despite all of the major obstacles that were in their way, and that is not being a helpless victim.
I don't think that Blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. Blacks are the victims of the enslavement, but they fought so hard to get their freedom back. For example, Benjamin Banneker send a letter to Thomas Jefferson talking about slavery. Phillis Wheatley also wrote a letter about how she want to end the slavery. In pg 121, she talked about her religion and how God will free the slaves. Another example is Nat Turner. He was a slave preacher from Virginia. He said that God came to him and told him to lead a black uprising. He and his group killed a lot of whites. Nat and his group was found and got killed. Gabriel’s Rebellion is another example of rebellion. Their plan is to take over the land and kill some white inhabitants. His goal was for the poor white inhabitants join their rebellion. This examples proves how they really wanted their freedom and their rights as human beings. Even though sometimes their plans aren't working, they did not give up.
I do not believe Blacks were helpless victims of enslavements. There is evidence to support that they were not completely helpless. They did not go willingly or allow themselves to be taken without complaint from their original land. They fought for their freedom, not only when they were being taken but also when they were enslaved. They continually tried to escape, rebel, and regain their freedom, though they were mostly unsuccessful. There are many famous rebellions to attest to that, including Gabriel’s, Vesey’s, and Turner’s Rebellions that were discussed in class. Records show that there was a total of 313 documented insurrections (Slave Insurrections 1526-1864. Slave Revolts in the American South-Google Presentation. Brendon Jobs). Though all of the specifically mentioned rebellions failed (Slave Revolts in the American South-Google Presentation. Brendon Jobs), they did send a message. They expressed that the Blacks would not be the submissive creatures the whites wished them to be, and that scared the whites into being harsher masters.
Religion also acted as an important part of slave rebellions. Whites, in an attempt to dismantle ideas about revolution, preached one side of the Bible to the slaves, submission narrative. Submission narrative was preached by whites in favor of the staying enslaved staying that way. The other side of the spectrum was equality narrative. This was preached by the Blacks to attempt an argument for why they should be free (class discussion). Even during the revolts religion was an issue. Nat Turner is a perfect example of this. As Gianna stated, he believed he was “chosen by God to lead a black uprising.” He also stated, as his final words before his execution, “Was not Christ crucified?” (Slave Revolts in the American South-Google Presentation. Brendon Jobs).
Letters were also very important. Specifically, letters from people such as Phillis Wheatley and Benjamin Banneker. There letters expressed sophistication that some whites didn’t believe the blacks capable of. Banneker’s letter specifically criticized the government and the white’s longing for freedom from the British. It pointed out that they wanted freedom from their oppressors but continually worked to enslave the Blacks. (Banneker, Benjamin. “Letters to Thomas Jefferson.” 19 Aug. 1791.) Wheatley’s letter seemed more inclined to gradually work towards a peaceful ending between the races.
I agree with everybody when they say that Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. There are many accounts, which are recorded, that show Blacks were not helpless to the enslavement or treatment. Yes they may have been unwilling and done as they were told, but that doesn't change what they thought of doing. As they have accounts of Tuner's rebellion, Gabriel's rebellion, Banneker's letter to Thomas Jefferson. (As we discussed in class.) There is at least 313 total documented insurrections.
The enslaved blacks didn't just stop at being enslaved, they fought, they killed and they escaped for their freedom. They stood up for themselves, probably hoping to better their lives as well as their family for future generations.
As the movie ("Possession".) showed some slaves were willing to give up their lives just to have a taste of freedom. They believed that they were not meant to be treated that way. As the bible put it, which at the time Religion was a big part of everything, all men were created equal. They should be considered and treated as any white man would be treated. They didn't understand why they were treated with such harsh punishments.
The letters from Phillis Wheatley and Benjamin Banneker gave us an inside look as to what enslaved africans really did face on the plantation. As Benjamin pointed out in his letter, the americans fought for their freedom from the oppressing British. Well the enslaved africans were trying to do the same. They wanted, longed for, and fought for their freedom from their oppressors, but every time they tried the white men would beat them down. (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson." August 19, 1791.)
Phillis Wheatley wrote how she wanted to end slavery and how it was God's will to end such hate of slavery. (Pg. 121, African American History. Textbook.)
Even after all of this, the free blacks still fought for their freedom. More so on how they were treated in Society. As they will still fight for their rights.
When I think of being helpless, I think of being trapped. I think that everyone at some point in their lives feel helpless. I think that the word “helpless” is a really broad word. I think that with that word comes many different levels and understandings. It really depends who you are talking to.
I do not necessarily believe that blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. I say this because of a few reasons. One of those reasons is that they didn’t really let people push them around. For the most part they stuck up for themselves. They defended themselves properly. In my opinion standing up for your self isn’t always the easiest thing to do, so I think that it was very courageous of them given the situation they were in. (Gabriel's, Vesey's, Turner's.)
I believe that voicing your opinion is something that is very beneficial. Benjamin Banneker wrote to Thomas Jefferson about slavery (Benjamin Banneker: Letter to Jefferson handout.) He was in a way calling Jefferson out on his hypocritical ways.
Also, I believe that when you are helpless there is absolutely nothing you can do to better the situation. In a way it is physically out of your hands. However in this situation there were rebellions. This shows that there were actions that were being taken.
In conclusions I do not think that the blacks were helpless victims of enslavement because they actually tried different things to help themselves. They stood up for themselves and depended themselves. They weren’t going to be ok with people walking all over them and I think that is very admirable.
In my opinion I think that blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement because even though none of their method to gain freedom worked during that time ,they were still able to help themselves to a point. For example the educated blacks ,like Benjamin Banneker wrote letters to men in power like Jefferson to aid the abolishment of slavery. On the other hand many blacks took a different method . This method was revolution ; the revolt that was most successful was the Haitian revolution in which black gained full control of San Domingue. Even though the success cause them the Spanish to abandon Haiti , it sparked revolts all over colonial America . Some of the more known revolt in the Americas is Nat turner , Gabriel and Vesey's which all ended up failing ,but shows that enslaved black we're able to fight for their freedom proving that they weren't helpless.
I believe that black slaves were not helpless victims of enslavement. The blacks would not have been helpless because of the many revolts and revolutions. Like Joshua also mentioned, we reviewed a map of the US states which showed the amount of insurrections the blacks caused. How could they be helpless when they were physically revolting against the whites? The Haitian revolution is a good example. Toussaint Louverture led his black brethren to rise up against the white plantation owners. They fought them in several battles in order to gain their freedom (The Haitian Revolution video in class).
There were also the efforts of Phyllis Wheatley and Benjamin Banneker (Handout and in textbook). Them sending their letters to whites was very risky for their position and skin color. Being African American and trying to change or influence their minds. These were acts of blacks trying to help other blacks. Helpless means without help. The blacks had help, even if it wasn’t present right away. Therefore, I believe this is more evidence supporting the fact that slaves were not helpless victims of enslavement.
Blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement. when i say Blacks i don't mean just African Americans, mean all blacks like haitian people for example. blacks did everything they could to not be oppressed. Many blacks did things like revolutions and slave rebellions. A very famous revolution that inspired other rebellions, Was haiti's revolution lead by Toussaint Louverture.
African American in haiti's revolution are very differences from like here if u say. like for example they didn't make us rebel we had a choice now , back then they didn't have a choice, but i do believe when they made are blacks went to war we did everything we could and put are heart in to that. so i say we were not weak or helpless people at all
I don't think that blacks were helpless victims of enslavement. Helpless would infer that there was nothing they could do, and that they weren't capable of making any significant acts towards their freedom. However, we know there were many rebellions including Gabriel's Rebellion (1800), Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831), and Vesey's Rebellion (1832). These rebellions are signs of will. In class we talked about how rebellions aren't always effective and in some cases are similar to trying to walk through a brick wall (In the Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Brendon Jobs, Class Discussion). This represented how blacks had been fighting for years with almost no progress towards the type of life they wanted. Even with this sad truth, they were not "helpless". Another example is letters written by people like Phillis Wheatley (Phillis Wheatley: Letter to Reverend Samson Occum) and Benjamin Banneker (Benjamin Banneker: Letter to Jefferson handout) who are people that took matters into their own hands. Wheatley wrote to a Reverend, and Banneker wrote to Thomas Jefferon. These were both very important letters discussed in class (Brendon Jobs, Class Discussion). Banneker had clearly thought his an through by writing to Thomas Jefferson himself in an attempt to persuade him. He told his perspective to Thomas Jefferson to allow Jefferson to see things from his point of view. Doing something like this is far from "helpless". These are reasons why blacks were not, and did not allow themselves to become, helpless victims of enslavement!
I believe that, even if Blacks were victims of enslavement, this doesn't mean that they were "helpless" victims of enslavement. People that are "helpless" are defined as being "unable to do something to make a situation, task, etc., better or easier." (Merriam Webster) Blacks were not "helpless" because they didn't just sit around and wait for something good to go their way. Instead, they tried to make something happen immediately and, even if their attempts were unsuccessful, they still attempted rebellions. This is shown through different types of rebellions, such as Gabriel's Rebellion (1800), Vesey's Rebellion (1832) and Nat Turners rebellion (1831), which we all learns about in class through different handouts and lectures. During these rebellions, plans were made to kill and assault whites, notably women and children. (In Spirit of Haiti: Slave Revolts, Slave Revolts in the Antibellum American South."
We also learn that blacks were not helpless victims through two different letters that were sent out by Benjamin Banneker and Phillis Wheatley. Banneker wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson persuading him, in a rather aggressive tone, addressing slaves and black treatment. Phillis Wheatley wrote a letter to Reverend Samson Occum, in a rather polite term, to address slave holding and rights of blacks. We discussed these letters in class (Brendon Jobs, Class Discussion) and, while these letters were different in many ways, they showed that blacks were not "helpless" and that they were able to make a stand for what they felt what rights and made an attempt to stop this awful treatment.
I don't believe blacks were helpless in the usual sense of the word (as we discussed this word and it's connotation in class). Memorable leaders such as Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner to great African American thinkers such as Benjamin Banneker make this extremely obvious. Blacks saw their situation, did not like it, and decided to make a stand (even if that stand was not exactly successful at the time). A good example is Nat Turner's rebellion (1831) which is one of the most widely known slave rebellions. Nat Turner, a preacher, believed it was in God's will for him to start an uprising and he, along with his followers began their rebellion. In their outrage, about 60 whites were killed (mostly women and children)(class lecture). I don't think this is the right way to solve thing, with blood and violence, but in this case perhaps it was the only way.
Other forms of rebellion were not as obvious. Letters, discussions, creative forms of expression, and more conveyed the yearning for freedom felt in the black community. Benjamin Banneker, for example, called out Thomas Jefferson's hypocrisy (saying that he wants to end slavery but being a slave owner himself) cleverly and even showed through his wit that blacks were more than just working bodies. They were able minded, intelligent human beings. (Banneker, Benjamin. "Letter to Thomas Jefferson.")
To be honest, I do not think Black we're helpless victims if enslavement. And by Blacks, I dint just mean African Americans, I'm talking about African, Jamaican, Haitian (etc). Blacks had thing like rebellions and revolutions. They didn't always allow white people to have it their way. Which means even though they were unsuccessful sometimes, they still stood their grounds. In other words, they often defended themselves. " they all preserved and tried their hardest for freedom even though Some were shut down because the conspiracies were found out and the conspirators were arrested." -Falcione
There were many factors such as the rebellions that took place prior to the civil war. This mean other rebellions such as Nat Turners, Gabriel's rebellion (1800) and Denmark Veyseys rebellion (1832). It was also a revolution I'm Haiti that took place I'm the Caribbean Island of Saint Domingue. The goal was for the Haitians to be freed from the French. The fought was between (year Declaration of Independence was signed) 1776-1804. Haiti was very successful and was the "first independent non-European state to be cared out of the European Empire." This mean that the slaves were free and gained equal rights. Which proves that they were bold and dedicated.
(Brendon Jobs. "Global Connections" Haiti battles slavery in an age of Revolutions 1776-1804)
I don't think Africans of all kind were helpless against enslavement. In many occasions, that non-helplessness led to rebellion prior to the civil war. The Haitian Revolution clearly stated that they didn't need the French or the British to depend on forming a safer place for Africans to be free men and women (1776-1804 the year that the Declaration of Independence was signed).
Years later there were many rebellions that took place such as Gabriel (1800), Nat turners, and Denmark Veseys (1832). Unlike Nat Turner's and Gabriel's rebellion, Denmark Vesey's Rebellion was a non-violent conspiracy. Even in death, the conspirators never gave in, especially when all rebellions failed which proved they were willing, dedicated, and relentless.
(Brendon Jobs. "Global Connections" Haiti battles slavery in an age of Revolutions 1776-1804)
I believe that calling Blacks helpless victims of enslavement is a false statement. The Blacks were definitely not helpless. They were so tired of having their natural rights abused that they started rebelling. Some of the most well known rebellions where Gabriel's Rebellion in 1800, Nat Turner's Rebellion in 1831, and Vessey's Rebellion in 1832. All three rebellions ended badly and individually they didn't make that much of an impact but together they represented the first step to freedom.
Not all forms of revolt were acts of violence though some Blacks such as Phyllis Wheatley and Benjamin Banneker. Banneker wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson expressing his disagreements with the way Blacks were being treated.
I believe that blacks were not helpless victims of slavery. To begin Haiti did not seem like a small out burst it was a national revolt. black in America look upon that as strength in numbers and in faith. In the year Nat Turner's Rebellion (also known as the Southampton Insurrection) was a slave rebellion that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, during August 1831. Gabriel (1776 – October 10, 1800), today commonly – if incorrectly – known as Gabriel Prosser, was a literate enslaved blacksmith who planned a large slave rebellion in the Richmond area in the summer of 1800. This rebellion was influenced by Haiti and also help sparked other plantation rebellions all over the south. most of the rebellions happened in Virginia. Where most of the presidents are from (Wink Wink). In all the rebellions there was one problem that kept them from succeeding. The slaves that knew about the rebellion would tell there masters. Instead of them actually working out most of them ended with killed, abused, and relocated (CLASS NOTES). During the time of the Antebellum the south was losing control of the slave and more and more riots started to emerge.
I do not believe blacks were not helpless victims of enslavement, as like everyone else agrees. Many examples like Nat turner, Denmark Vesey's, and Benjamin Banneker are great leaders that stood up for what they thought was right, their natural right. Nat turner's rebellion's spread and inspired many other blacks in America to show they we not helpless. Although there are moments where blacks were treated in horrible conditions, it did not meant that they were helpless.
Post a Comment