FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM

REBELLIONS IN NORTH AMERICA HAD ALMOST NO CHANCE FOR SUCCESS. SLAVES FACED NUMBERS OF SUPERIOR WHITE POPULATION IN ALL OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. THEY WERE OUTNUMBERED AND POORLY ARMED, WITH ONLY STICKS AND KNIVES, SINCE SLAVES WERE PROHIBITED FROM BEARING ARMS, SINCE THE 17TH CENTURY.

IN 1712, A SLAVE REVOLT THREATENED TO DESTROY NEW YORK CITY. AS A RESULT OF THIS REVOLT, THE 1712 SLAVE ACT TO SUPPRESS INSURRECTIONS WAS PASSED. MANY REBELLIONS WERE STOPPED BECAUSE SLAVES TOLD THEIR MASTERS ABOUT THE PLOTS. SOME BETRAYED THEIR FELLOW SLAVES BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE WAYS TO OBTAIN ONE’S FREEDOM.

RISE AND TAKE YOUR FREEDOM~~~

IN 1829, DAVID WALKERS APPEAL, A 76 PAGE INFLAMMATORY PAMPHLET, CALLED ON SLAVES TO RISE AND KILL THEIR MASTERS. IT STATES “WE MUST AND SHALL BE FREE AND ENLIGHTENED AS YOU ARE, WILL YOU WAIT UNTIL WE SHALL, UNDER GOD, OBTAIN LIBERTY BY THE CRUSHING ARM OF POWER?” THIS PAMPHLET BECAME A KIND OF BIBLE TO REVOLUTIONARY MINDED BLACK ABOLITIONIST AT THAT PERIOD.