16 Questions
What was the dominant form of resistance in the Virgin Islands?
Maritime marronage
Why were maroon societies successful?
Because they were often inaccessible
What skills did individuals need to adapt to maroon society?
Defense skills in guerilla warfare
Why did the Virgin Islands not support maroon societies?
Because of the lack of terrain necessary for maroon societies
What was the purpose of Creoles' familiarity with the surrounding waters?
To make a break for Puerto Rico
What did enslaved persons secretly build to facilitate their escape?
Canoes large enough to accommodate whole families
What was the consequence of enslaved persons circulating the public streets after 9 p.m. without permission?
They were imprisoned and punished with twenty lashes
What was mandated by the Act of 1787?
The presence of a European watchman on every fishing boat or cable
What was the primary purpose of the enslaved code of 1783 in the Virgin Islands?
To prohibit the enslaved from participating in certain activities
What was the main distinction between active and passive resistance?
Active resistance involved violence, while passive resistance did not
What was the primary objective of rebellion in the context of enslavement?
To defy authority
What was the consequence for enslaved persons who threatened or committed violence against a European?
They were punished severely
What was the purpose of the practice of secret rituals among the enslaved?
To communicate with each other secretly
What was a common form of passive resistance used by the enslaved?
Damaging equipment
What was the significance of the cook in the plantation household?
They were the most trusted workers of the planter
What was the primary goal of insurrection in the context of enslavement?
To rebel against the government
Study Notes
Types of Resistance
- Active resistance: using deliberate actions, sometimes violent, to bring about or force change
- Passive resistance: using nonviolent methods to resist
- Rebellion: defiance of authority or force used to control a person
- Insurrection: rebellion against the government, often involving armed conflict
- Resistance: actions demonstrating refusal to accept or comply with something
Enslavement in the Virgin Islands
- Enslavement was maintained by the use or threat of violence as punishment
- The Virgin Islands' enslaved code of 1783 restricted the movement and activities of enslaved persons
- Laws prohibited enslaved persons from possessing guns and other weapons, and punishments for violence against Europeans were harsh
- Enslaved persons were rewarded for informing on conspirators
Forms of Resistance in the Virgin Islands
- Day-to-day resistance or passive resistance: poisoning, damaging equipment, slowing down work, and mutilation
- Rebellions or active resistance: burning down plantations, revolts, and murdering Europeans
- Marronage or running away: the dominant form of resistance in the Virgin Islands, which involved maritime escape to Puerto Rico
- Maritime marronage: using boats to escape to Puerto Rico, creating problems for planters
Marronage in the Virgin Islands
- Enslaved persons built canoes or forced sailors to take them to Puerto Rico
- Planters attempted to limit the problem of runaways by having guards patrol at night and implementing laws such as the Act of 1787
- Enslaved persons who escaped sought freedom in Puerto Rico, leading to planters' petitions to London
Understand the concepts of active and passive resistance, rebellion, and emancipation in the context of slavery. Identify and discuss the most prominent forms of active resistance employed by the enslaved.
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