Slave Resistance and Nat Turner's Rebellion

Slave Resistance

• Slaves resisted their oppression through both peaceful and violent methods.
• Peaceful resistance included:
  • Sluggishness: Slaves worked slowly.
  • Passivity: Slaves accepted pain and humiliation without resistance.
  • Indifference: Slaves showed a lack of concern for their situation.
  • Shirking: Slaves avoided their assigned duties.
  • Flight: Slaves ran away to escape the unbearable conditions of slavery.
• Violent resistance included:
  • Suicide: Slaves took their own lives when their suffering became unbearable.
  • Arson: Slaves set fire to their owners' buildings as a form of protest or revenge.
  • Murder: In some cases, slaves, driven by anger and desperation, killed their owners.

Nat Turner's Rebellion

• Nat Turner, born in 1800, was a literate slave who led a rebellion against slavery in Virginia.
• Turner believed in freeing slaves, inspired by religious visions, and preached his belief to other slaves.
• In 1831, Turner, with around 70 followers, attacked multiple plantations across Virginia.
• The rebellion resulted in the deaths of around 60 white people and freed slaves, but the rebels were ultimately captured.
• The rebellion had severe consequences:
  • Fear and hysteria: White communities across the South were overcome with fear, leading to the deaths of many innocent slaves.
  • New restrictions on slaves: New laws were passed, restricting slaves' assembly, making it illegal for them to learn to read and write, and ultimately driving up illiteracy rates amongst enslaved people.

Harriet Tubman

• A former slave, Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and dedicated her life to helping others escape as well.
• Dubbed "Moses" for her work on the Underground Railroad, she helped over 300 slaves escape to freedom in the North and Canada.
• During the American Civil War, Tubman served as a spy for the Union army and worked tirelessly to establish shelters for the poor.
• Tubman was a fierce advocate for women's rights and became a celebrated symbol of freedom and resistance.

John Brown

• John Brown was a fervent abolitionist who believed in ending slavery through violent means.
• He was a friend of Harriet Tubman and assisted in the Underground Railroad, helping slaves reach freedom.
• Brown's passionate activism led to the burning of his home and the death of his son by those who supported slavery.
• In 1859, Brown led an unsuccessful attempt to instigate a slave rebellion by raiding the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia.
• His actions resulted in the deaths of his sons and his own capture.
• John Brown's speeches during his trial brought the brutality of American slavery into the national spotlight.
• He was hanged for treason, becoming a martyr to the cause of abolition.

The Underground Railroad

• The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved people to escape to freedom.
• It wasn't an actual railroad, but a metaphor for the clandestine nature of the escape network.
• Slaves often fled to the North, Canada, and Mexico, where slavery was illegal.

The American Civil War

• Between 1861 and 1865, the United States was torn apart by the American Civil War.
• The conflict was driven by the issue of slavery. The North, led by President Abraham Lincoln, opposed slavery while the South depended on slave labor and wanted to retain the practice.
• After four years of brutal fighting, the North emerged victorious, leading to the abolition of slavery in the United States.
• The war's legacy was deeply ingrained in the hearts of the North, especially through the memory of John Brown, whose sacrifices were honored thr