Topic 10 Rebelling against enslavement

Enslaved Africans did not passively accept their situation. Many slaves carried out daily acts of resistance, such as working slowly, disobeying orders, leaving the plantation without permission, or stealing their owner’s property. Others embarked on full-blooded acts rebellion, which left the planters and their families living in constant fear of uprisings and murder.

See Ending slavery for more information.

Things to do

Resource 10A is a government notice ordering rebellious slaves in Jamaica to surrender.

Read the notice out loud. If you are working in a group, choose someone to read it out to everyone else.
What does the notice threaten to do to the rebel slaves if they do not surrender?
Imagine you have joined the rebel slaves and have been attacking and burning plantations. What would you feel if you heard this notice read out? Fear? Anger? A determination to keep fighting? Write a list of these feelings and emotions.
Now write a response to the notice. Tell the government what you think about its accusations and the order to surrender. Explain why you joined the rebels. Tip. Keep your language simple and try to imitate the government’s short, direct statements.
Read your response out loud. Do you feel you have answered the government well?