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what caused the stono rebellion

by Frieda Hickle Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The basic cause of the Stono Rebellion

Stono Rebellion

The Stono Rebellion was a slave rebellion that began on 9 September 1739, in the colony of South Carolina. It was the largest slave uprising in the British mainland colonies, with 25 white people and 35 to 50 black people killed. The uprising was led by native Africans who were likely from the C…

was the fact that society in South Carolina was changing with large numbers of new slaves being brought to the colony. This influx put whites in fear of slave rebellions and led them to implement stricter controls on slaves. Paradoxically, these tougher measures ended up bringing about a rebellion.

The immediate factors that sparked the uprising remain in doubt. A malaria epidemic in Charlestown, which caused general confusion throughout Carolina, may have influenced the timing of the Rebellion.Sep 18, 2018

Full Answer

Why does the Stono Rebellion occur?

A malaria epidemic had recently killed many whites in Charleston, weakening the power of slaveholders. Lastly, historians have suggested the slaves organized their revolt to take place on Sunday, when planters would be occupied in church and might be unarmed.

What was the Stono Rebellion and why is it important?

The largest and most significant slave rebellion in the British North American colonies, the Stono Rebellion revealed tensions that continued in slave states throughout the next century. Slaves were oppressed by a brutal system of forced labor and sometimes violently rebelled.

What was a major impact of the Stono Rebellion?

A: Stono is important because it changed the face of slavery in Carolina, and had ramifications for other colonies as well. It solidified slavery in a way that it hadn't been before, and probably would have happened anyway.

Who led the Stono revolt?

JemmyJemmy, leader of the Stono Rebellion, the largest and deadliest revolt by enslaved people in colonial British North America, was most likely born in the Kingdom of Kongo, now part of Angola, and brought as a slave to the British colony of South Carolina in the 1730s.

What was a result of the Stono Rebellion quizlet?

What happened as a result of the Stono Rebellion? The South Carolina legislature established a harsh new code to keep slaves under constant surveillance and ensure that masters disciplined their slaves.

What spurred slaves to organize the Stono Rebellion?

What spurred slaves to organize the Stono Rebellion in South Carolina in 1739? The Spanish governor in Florida had promised freedom to fugitive slaves. Where did the first colonists who settled South Carolina and introduced racial slavery in the 1660s come from?

What was the significance of the Stono Rebellion quizlet?

The significance of the Stono Rebellion because it scared the whites of South Carolina. After the rebellion, the Negro Act of 1740 was passed putting limits on both whites and slaves trying to prevent another rebellion happening again.

What was significant about the Stono Rebellion of 1739 quizlet?

The Stono Rebellion (sometimes called Cato's Conspiracy or Cato's Rebellion) was a slave rebellion that commenced on 9 September 1739, in the colony of South Carolina. It was the largest slave uprising in the British mainland colonies, with 21 whites and 44 blacks killed.

Which statement best describes the effects of the Stono Rebellion of 1739?

Which statement BEST describes the effects of the Stono Rebellion of 1739? The slaves who took part in the Stono Rebellion of 1739 had the ultimate goal of reaching St. Augustine, Florida.

What best describes the way the Stono Rebellion ultimately ended?

How did the Stono Rebellion end? The militia surrounded the escaping slaves and those who were not killed were captured and executed.

Who were the first slaves to rebel?

On Christmas Day 1521, in the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo, the first recorded slave revolt in the Americas occurred. A group of African, likely Wolof, slaves came together with native Indians led by the Taíno cacique Enriquillo to assert their independence.

What were slaves not allowed to do?

There were numerous restrictions to enforce social control: slaves could not be away from their owner's premises without permission; they could not assemble unless a white person was present; they could not own firearms; they could not be taught to read or write, nor could they transmit or possess “inflammatory” ...

What was the significance of the Stono Rebellion quizlet?

The significance of the Stono Rebellion because it scared the whites of South Carolina. After the rebellion, the Negro Act of 1740 was passed putting limits on both whites and slaves trying to prevent another rebellion happening again.

What was significant about the Stono Rebellion of 1739 quizlet?

The Stono Rebellion (sometimes called Cato's Conspiracy or Cato's Rebellion) was a slave rebellion that commenced on 9 September 1739, in the colony of South Carolina. It was the largest slave uprising in the British mainland colonies, with 21 whites and 44 blacks killed.

Where did the Stono Rebellion happen?

The Stono Rebellion. Early on the morning of Sunday, September 9, 1739, twenty black Carolinians met near the Stono River, approximately twenty miles southwest of Charleston. At Stono's bridge, they took guns and powder from Hutcheson's store and killed the two storekeepers they found there.

What was the Stono Rebellion Apush?

What is the Stono Rebellion? The Stono Rebellion was the largest slave revolt in the British colonies. On September 9, 1739, a group of about 20 South Carolina slaves assembled and marched to a firearms store. There, they killed the shopkeepers and armed themselves.

Which of the following was the most influential factor in Jeremy and other enslaved Africans rebelling against their South Carolinian captors?

Their violent treatment and disciplinary actions towards slaves

Which of the following was a practice of slave owners in the northern colonies that was later adopted more fully by southern plantation owners?

The practice of using enslaved women to produce newly enslaved people born in the American colonies

Which of the following best describes the influence of the changing disciplinary measures southern plantation owners used on their enslaved labor after the Stono Rebellion?

Southern plantation owners increased the violence in which they disciplined infractions, usually choosing to do much harm to a few individuals as a...

Which of the following could be considered an immediate reaction to the Stono Rebellion and the rising fears of a slave uprising?

The New York scare of 1741

Where did the Stono Rebellion originate?

The American Colony of South Carolina

Which of the following was most influential in the initial violent success of the Stono Rebellion?

The fugitive slaves were of Congolese origin, a nation in Africa that had been militarized by conflict, so they had some military experience

Stono Rebellion Definition

The Stono Rebellion was a significant slave rebellion in South Carolina in 1739 near River Stono. It was not only a large rebellion but the largest in the history of the American Colonies.

Stono Rebellion Causes

By the early 1700s, in plantation areas of the colonies that grew sugarcane, rice, and other high labor crops, the ratio of enslaved Africans to European colonists was eight to one. Enslavers imposed harsh restrictions and punishments on enslaved Africans to maintain control over them.

The Stono Rebellion 1739

The rebellion occurred on Sunday, 9 September, which is significant as Sunday was the enslaved people's day of rest. Let's look at how the rebellion played out.

The Effects of the Stono Rebellion

In 1741, authorities in the Province of New York executed 34 people for conspiring to burn down the city. Thirteen African men were burned at the stake and another seventeen black men, two white men, and two white women were hanged. An additional seventy blacks and seven whites were banished from the city.

Stono Rebellion - Key Takeaways

As the population of enslaved Africans in the American colonies grew in the late 1600s and early 1700s, so did the social anxiety of the white farmers, planters, and plantation owners who owned and controlled these enslaved people.

Final Stono Rebellion Quiz

True or False: the Stono Rebellion was the first uprising of enslaved Africans in the British American Colonies

Where did the Stono Rebellion take place?

The Stono Rebellion (sometimes called Cato's Conspiracy or Cato's Rebellion) was a slave rebellion that began on 9 September 1739, in the colony of South Carolina. It was the largest slave uprising in the British mainland colonies, with 25 colonists and 35 to 50 Africans killed. The uprising was led by native Africans who were likely from ...

Who was the leader of the revolt?

Jemmy, the leader of the revolt, was a literate slave described in an eyewitness account as " Angolan ". Historian John K. Thornton has noted that, because of patterns of trade, he was more likely from the Kingdom of Kongo in west Central Africa, which had long had relations with Portuguese traders.

What were the slaves called in the Kongo Empire?

His cohort of 20 slaves were also called "Angolan", and likely also Kongolese. The slaves were described as Catholic, and some spoke Portuguese, learned from the traders operating in the Kongo Empire at the time. The patterns of trade and the fact that the Kongo was a Catholic nation point to their origin there.

Why did the South Carolina colony have slaves?

Since 1708, the majority of the population of the South Carolina colony were enslaved Africans, as importation of laborers from Africa had increased in recent decades with labor demand for the expansion of cotton and rice cultivation as commodity export crops.

How many whites were killed in the Rebellion?

The rebels were joined by 40 to 60 more during their 15-mile march. They killed at least 20 whites, but spared others. The rebellion ended late that afternoon when the militia caught the rebels, killing at least 54 of them. Most who escaped were captured and executed; any forced to join the rebels were released.

Why did planters decide to cut off the supply of slaves?

Planters decided to develop a slave population who were native-born, believing the workers were more content if they grew up enslaved. Attributing the rebellion to the recently imported Africans, planters decided to cut off the supply. They enacted a 10-year moratorium on slave importation through Charleston.

How far was Stono from the Florida line?

Stono was 150 miles (240 km) from the Florida line. A malaria epidemic had recently killed many whites in Charleston, weakening the power of slaveholders. Lastly, historians have suggested the slaves organized their revolt to take place on Sunday, when planters would be occupied in church and might be unarmed.

The Stono Rebellion

In 1739, the Stono Rebellion occurred in South Carolina when a group of slaves rose up and marched south towards Florida. The rebellion was quelled by the South Carolina militia, which successfully dispersed the slaves and killed, executed, or resold into slavery the members of the group.

Answer and Explanation

The Stono Rebellion was caused by a series of factors, most notably the mistreatment of slaves and the offer of freedom to slaves in Florida. In the 18th century, Britain and Spain were geopolitical foes and Spain issued proclamations that any slave that entered Spanish-controlled Florida would be freed in order to destabilize the British colonies.

What was the Stono Rebellion?

The Stono Rebellion was a slave rebellion in South Carolina in 1739. While it isn’t totally clear why this rebellion occurred, there are a few possible explanations. One possible explanation is that the Spanish were advertising that any slave who escaped to St. Augustine, Florida would be given freedom and...

What were the factors that contributed to the Stono Rebellion?

Another factor that may have contributed to the Stono Rebellion was the fear many white people had of a slave rebellion occurring. When the Security Act was passed, white men were required by law to carry guns with them to church on Sundays. If they didn’t carry a gun, they could be fined. Prior to the passage of the Security Act, white men didn’t carry guns to church, and slaves were allowed to work for themselves on Sundays. The passage of this law may have angered slaves.

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How many people did the slaves kill in the Rebellion?from britannica.com

Slaves gathered, raided a firearms shop, and headed south, killing more than 20 white people as they went. Other slaves joined the rebellion until the group reached about 60 members.

How many whites were killed in the Rebellion?from en.wikipedia.org

The rebels were joined by 40 to 60 more during their 15-mile march. They killed at least 20 whites, but spared others. The rebellion ended late that afternoon when the militia caught the rebels, killing at least 54 of them. Most who escaped were captured and executed; any forced to join the rebels were released.

Why did planters decide to cut off the supply of slaves?from en.wikipedia.org

Planters decided to develop a slave population who were native-born, believing the workers were more content if they grew up enslaved. Attributing the rebellion to the recently imported Africans, planters decided to cut off the supply. They enacted a 10-year moratorium on slave importation through Charleston.

How far was Stono from the Florida line?from en.wikipedia.org

Stono was 150 miles (240 km) from the Florida line. A malaria epidemic had recently killed many whites in Charleston, weakening the power of slaveholders. Lastly, historians have suggested the slaves organized their revolt to take place on Sunday, when planters would be occupied in church and might be unarmed.

What is the significance of the Hutchinson warehouse?from en.wikipedia.org

Legacy. The Hutchinson's warehouse site, where the revolt began, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. A South Carolina Historical Marker has also been erected at the site. The text of the marker reads: The Stono Rebellion (1739) The rebels were joined by 40 to 60 more during their 15-mile march.

Why did South Carolina work with Georgia?from en.wikipedia.org

South Carolina worked with Georgia to strengthen patrols on land and in coastal areas to prevent fugitives from reaching Spanish Florida. In the Stono case, the slaves may have been inspired by several factors to mount their rebellion.

What were the slaves called in the Kongo Empire?from en.wikipedia.org

His cohort of 20 slaves were also called "Angolan", and likely also Kongolese. The slaves were described as Catholic, and some spoke Portuguese, learned from the traders operating in the Kongo Empire at the time. The patterns of trade and the fact that the Kongo was a Catholic nation point to their origin there.

What happened in 1739?

Stono Rebellion (1739) On Sunday, September 9th, 1739 the British colony of South Carolina was shaken by a slave uprising that culminated with the death of sixty people. Led by an Angolan named Jemmy, a band of twenty slaves organized a rebellion on the banks of the Stono River.

How many slaves were in the rebellion?

Led by an Angolan named Jemmy, a band of twenty slaves organized a rebellion on the banks of the Stono River. After breaking into Hutchinson’s store the band, now armed with guns, called for their liberty. As they marched, overseers were killed and reluctant slaves were forced to join the company.

What was the impact of the Stono Rebellion on the lives of enslaved people?

is a History professor, lecturing at several universities. Her work focuses on African American history, including the Civil Rights Movement. The Stono Rebellion was the largest rebellion mounted by enslaved people against enslavers in colonial America.

Why did South Carolina make the Negro Act mandatory?

The Negro Act also made it mandatory for militias to regularly patrol to prevent enslaved people from gathering the way they had in anticipation of the Stono Rebellion.

Why did the South Carolinians take their guns to church on Sunday?

South Carolinians were contemplating passing the Security Act, which would have required all White men to take their firearms with them to church on Sunday, presumably in case of unrest among a group of enslaved people broke out. Sunday had been traditionally a day when the enslavers set aside their weapons for church attendance and allowed their captives to work for themselves.

What did South Carolinians think about the enslaved peoples?

South Carolinians thought it was possible that the enslaved peoples' African origins had contributed to the rebellion. Part of the 1740 Negro Act, passed in response to the rebellion, was a prohibition on importing enslaved Africans.

What was the Stono River Rebellion?

The Stono River Rebellion is a tribute to the ongoing, determined resistance of Black people to the oppressive system of enslavement.

What did the rebels do to the homes?

The band of rebels hit a series of businesses and homes, recruiting more enslaved people and killing the enslavers and their families. They burned the houses as they went. The original rebels may have forced some of their recruits to join the rebellion.

Where did the Stono Rebellion take place?

The Stono Rebellion took place near the Stono River in South Carolina. The details of the 1739 event are uncertain, as documentation for the incident comes from only one firsthand report ...

How did slaves work in the colony?

Slaves worked in the colony according to a “task system” in which they completed their work at their own pace under the watchful eye of an overseer. Compared with enslaved people in other regions, they had a fair amount of autonomy to determine the means by which they would labor for their masters.

What were the problems of the Stono River?

The white planters and farmers on the Stono river near Charleston, South Carolina, had reason for concern in the late summer of 1739. A smallpox epidemic had raged through the area the previous year, and yellow fever was spreading. The settlers expected a bumper rice crop of about 35 million pounds for export, but it was hurricane season and they watched the weather closely. Conflict with Spain, Britain’s imperial rival, also caused talk of war to increase in the port city. Most ominously, the settlers were concerned about a recent proclamation from Spanish Florida offering freedom to their runaway slaves.

What were the ways that poor farmers controlled the slave population?

Poorer farmers had smaller farms and fewer slaves but were just as interested in controlling the slave population through a variety of means, including whipping, slave patrols, and a version of Christianity that promoted obedience.

How many houses did the slaves burn in the Rebellion?

The emboldened slaves traveled along the road, burning six more houses and killing several of the white inhabitants, whether wealthy planters or poor farmers. Some of the slaves in the plantations hid their masters and even drove off the rebels, either too frightened to join the rebellion or genuinely concerned for their owners. Other slaves, however, joined the rebels, whose ranks grew to fifty or sixty.

What happened to the surviving runaways?

Some of the surviving runaways were summarily executed or questioned and then killed. The planters allowed others to return to their plantations and await their fate. Some were killed by their masters; others were whipped and sent back to the fields.

How did African Americans resist the slave system?

They resisted the slave system by feigning illness, running away for a few days, or breaking farming implements.

What did the rebels do when dawn broke?

As dawn broke, the rebels boldly marched down the road waving a banner and beating a drum to signal other slaves to rebel. They even loudly cried out the word “liberty” for anyone to hear.

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Overview

The Stono Rebellion (also known as Cato's Conspiracy or Cato's Rebellion) was a slave revolt that began on 9 September 1739, in the colony of South Carolina. It was the largest slave rebellion in the Southern Colonies, with 25 colonists and 35 to 50 Africans killed. The uprising was led by native Africans who were likely from the Central African Kingdom of Kongo, as the rebels were Catholic and some spoke Portuguese.

Causes

Since 1708, the majority of the population of the South Carolina colony were enslaved Africans, as importation of laborers from Africa had increased in recent decades with labor demand for the expansion of cotton and rice cultivation as commodity export crops. Historian Ira Berlin has called this the Plantation Generation, noting that South Carolina had become a "slave society," with slavery central to its economy. Planters bought slaves taken from Africa to satisfy the increase…

Events of the revolt

On Sunday, 9 September 1739, Jemmy gathered 22 enslaved Africans near the Stono River, 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Charleston. Mark M. Smith argues that taking action on the day after the Feast of the Nativity of Mary connected their Catholic past with present purpose, as did the religious symbols they used. The Africans marched down the roadway with a banner that read "Liberty!", and chanted the same word in unison. They attacked Hutchinson's store at the Stono R…

Aftermath

Over the next two years, slave uprisings occurred independently in Georgia and South Carolina. Colonial officials believed these were inspired by the Stono Rebellion, but historians think the increasingly harsh conditions of slavery since the beginning of the 18th century under the rice and cotton cultures were sufficient cause.
Planters decided to develop a slave population who were native-born, believing the workers wer…

Legacy

The Hutchinson's warehouse site, where the revolt began, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. A South Carolina Historical Marker has also been erected at the site.
The text of the marker reads:
The Stono Rebellion (1739) The Stono Rebellion, the largest slave insurrection in British North America, began nearby on September 9, 1739. About 20 Africans raided a store near Wallace Cr…

The Hutchinson's warehouse site, where the revolt began, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. A South Carolina Historical Marker has also been erected at the site.
The text of the marker reads:
The Stono Rebellion (1739) The Stono Rebellion, the largest slave insurrection in British North America, began nearby on September 9, 1739. About 20 Africans raided a store near Wallace Cr…

See also

• List of National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Charleston County, South Carolina

Further reading

• Campbell, Ballard C. Campbell, ed. American Disasters: 201 Calamities That Shook the Nation (2008) pp. 22–23
• George Cato, interviewed by Stiles M. Scruggs, " 'As It Come Down to Me:' Black Memories of Stono in the 1930s", in Mark M. Smith, Stono: Documenting and Interpreting a Southern Slave Revolt, Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2005. ISBN 1-57003-605-5, pp. 55-d

External links

• Niven, Steven J. (22 February 2016). "The Stono River Slave Rebellion Was Nearly Erased from SC's History Books". The Root.

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17 hours ago Web · Best Answer. Copy. The Stono Rebellion in 1791 was a slave revolt. The cause wasbasically that the slaves wanted to be free. Wiki User. ∙ 2011-06-13 01:52:23.

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