Examples Of Slave Rebellions In The 19th Century

Historian U.B. Phillips once said about slaves that they were content with their status. He argued that singing and their work ethic was proof of their contentment. However, history and other historian show otherwise. One major example to disprove U.B. Philips’s statement are the many instances of slave rebellions. Beginning from their journey through the middle passage, Africans resisted their status of slaves and wanted to become free, no matter the cost. Three key slave rebellions in the nineteenth century are Gabriel’s Revolt, Denmark Vesey’s Conspiracy, and Nat Turner’s Rebellion.
Gabriel’s Revolt in 1800 was inspired by the revolutionary mindset of the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions. The rebellion was organized by a Richmond blacksmith, Gabriel Prosser, and his brother Martin, a slave preacher. Both men opposed the idea of slavery. Martin Prosser preached the story of the Israelites escaping Egyptian bondage to justify rebellion. The rebels planned to march to Richmond, Virginia from surrounding
Vesey was a slave who purchased his freedom from earnings won at the Charleston lottery and worked as a carpenter. Wanting other slaves to feel the freedom he had, Vesey plotted a revolt, recruited conspirators and gathered weapons for the rebellion. The revolt was planned on July 1822 but the plan was leaked and moved up one month. However, his co-conspirators were spread out through the region and did not hear of the change in plans. White people caught wind of the conspiracy and rounded up suspects. At least 139 blacks were arrested, forty-seven were executed, including Vesey. Additionally, four white men were fined and imprisoned for encouraging the revolt. It was estimated that around 9,000 blacks were involved in the