Protest, Resistance, and Revolution Flashcards
1
Q
Poisoning
A
- very hard crime to detect
- opportunity to poison masters readily available since slaves were responsible for food prep.
- Africans came over w/ the knowledge of herbs/the land which can make it easier to make poisons n the like
- ex: Caesar’s Cure - SC slave called Caesar developed antidote to poison + granted freedom for it + awarded subsidy ever year for it
- poisoning not necessarily from slaves (non-advanced ways of storing food could lead to accidental food poisonings)
2
Q
Arson
A
- slaves commonly blamed for random/non-random house fires
- fires could pop up at any time in these dry areas so not necessarily caused by a person
3
Q
Education
A
- slaves learning to read/write was major form of resistance
- many slaves especially in Southern society aren’t expected to show any level of intellect
- ex: Frederick Douglass
- whites feared that literate slaves could sue for their freedom (many did)
- keeping black illiterate was there preference
- white southerners expected blacks to underachieve in regard to learning (education represented a political statement/affirmation)
- showing blacks are capable of learning at the same level of whites (direct contrary to the inferiority they heard every day of there lives)
4
Q
Slave Initiative
A
- buying/selling goods (trying as hard as one can to lead a free life w/o actually being free)
- learning a skill where you are no longer dependent on a master/overseer (pottery, painting, woodwork etc.)
- gave blacks a level of confidence that they can be independent
5
Q
Running Away
A
- most fearful form of resistance to slave masters
- individuals that were striking the most direct blow to the institution of slavery
- some slaves ran away one/twice while others ran away habitually
- slaves would run from plantations no matter how relatively good there living conditions were
- slave masters always baffled why most privileged slaves still tempted to run away
- generally ran away during summer months (that way they could survive sleeping outside + the time
of year when work load particularly brutal) - most only gone for short periods of time before capture (many returned voluntarily such as Nat Turner + Solomon Northrop)
- slaves in border states/urban areas had easier time escaping (urban slaves could lose themselves in crowded city + create new names/identities - some even passed as white/Indian)
- many traveled on foot + used the stars to guide themselves to the North (frequently assisted by other slaves in getting resources)
- most fugitive slaves relied on their own resourcefulness/intelligence (self-reliant) (much less reliant on white abolitionists/the black community)
- neither free blacks/white abolitionists urged slaves to run away (did it on there own volition)
6
Q
Who Were Runaway Slaves?
A
- most of the time were young men between the ages of 16-35 (80%)
- about 1/3 of these individuals were either skilled/privileged slaves w/ some education (allowed them to make living outside of plantation)
- most of them had some knowledge outside of plantation (had hired themselves out to get experience in the city situation)
- opportunities away from plantation heightened awareness of individuals + gave them more aspiration to escape
- thought of being free dominated the mind of slaves more than any other issue
- interacted w/ free white/black men + married free black women once out
- most made there escape attempts alone/in very small groups of 2/3 people
7
Q
What If Runway Was Caught?
A
- slave legally deemed a runaway if they’re found w/o a travel pass away from the plantation
- if in close proximity to the plantation they’re immediately returned
- If far away from plantation ad taken out in local paper while slave held in jail cell until claimed
- if not claimed in a certain amount of time they were sold/auctioned to the highest bidder
8
Q
Women Runaways
A
- vastly underrepresented among runaway slaves
- family responsibilities kept many women from ever running away (taking care of children + elders)
9
Q
Lunsford Lane
A
- would write narrative saying that thinking of how to get free would occupy his mind every single day
10
Q
Reasons Not to Run
A
- many didn’t runaway since they were concerned w/ leaving their families behind
- many were concerned about where they’d go once they ran away (many had little geographic knowledge/basic reading/writing skills)
- feared slave catchers used to track them
- those that escaped through the water had to fear reptiles/drowning
- overall the odds of running away were not in there favor
11
Q
Creative Ways to Run Away
A
- Henry “Box” Brown shipped himself from VA to Philadelphia (helped by white man named Samuel Smith)
- became small celebrity in black community due to means of escaping
- against the words of Frederick Douglass who warned that making large deals of the efforts of one runaway would inhibit the ability of others to do so in the future
12
Q
William + Ellen Craft
A
- escaped from Macon, GA (white passing Ellen disguised herself as a man than assumed the role of slave holder w/ dark skinned husband William)
- Crafts became popular on the abolitionist speaking circuit (Ellen gained a lot of white support due to her fair appearance) (William was skilled cabinet maker)
- first settled in Philly before moving to Boston
- would leave Boston after Compromise of 1850 (had new retroactive fugitive slave act that allowed masters to reclaim fugitive slave even if they’d escaped to the North long before)
- would finally settle in England before moving back to US afterCivil War
13
Q
Anthony Burns
A
- Anthony Burns escaped from VA to Boston but captured in 1854
- local resistance to capture was so strong it took 1000 soldiers to escort Burns to ship back to slavery
- failed attempts by white abolitionists to rescue Burns had resulted in death of federal guard (50,000 people lined streets of Boston to see Burns aboard the ship)
- Burns remained a slave again less than a year since new master allowed abolitionists to purchase his freedom
- Burns moves to free state + studies at Overland College in OH
14
Q
Mary Walker
A
- slave born in NC (mixed race)
- literate + seamstress + caregiver for master’s wife
- master’s wife would travel North to get special care
- Mary began forming relationships in these Northern communities (ended up running away by losing herself in Philly)
- had some help from abolitionists
- left family behind (tried getting people to send letters for her to keep in contact + try to get someone to buy her freedom)
- most owners took the running away of a privileged slave as a personal betrayal (how could you do this when I’ve given you these skills)
- does not succeed in reuniting w/ her son until after Civil War
- leaves PA after new fugitive slave act (moved to MA)
- was highly reliant on well meaning whites in MA + PA to live safely
15
Q
Underground Railroad
A
- most slaves found there own routes to freedom (the majority didn’t use Underground Railroad) (relied on own cunning)
- Underground Railroad = secret mode of communication
- Railroad operators = people that helped fugitive slaves after they’ve already escaped the plantation (don’t coax blacks into leaving)
- members along Underground Railroad (conductors) provide different services to blacks like food + direction + clothing + new identity + job
- Quakers heavily overrepresented + white/black clergymen (saw it as part of Christian duty to help)
- occasionally ex-slaves would help (most notable was Harriet Tubman)
- no real record of how many slaves actually were freed using underground railroad (much too dangerous to keep records of it - serious crime to help runaway)
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