From Rebellion to Revolution: Slave Revolts in Hemispheric Perspective - Essay Example

From Rebellion to Revolution: Slave Revolts In Hemispheric Perspective The topic of slavery has always been a sensitive topic to bring up but one that has had to be discussed either way as a vital part of the country’s history. One issue in particular has been the journey that was made by the slaves from oppression to freedom and the tactics that were used by them to arrive at the final destination of their freedom. Many arguments have risen as a result of this particular subject regarding what was the main weapon that ensured that the African American population was finally given their freedom and this has been one of the topics that the author has tried to explain among other related topics. In his literary works the author argues that the various revolts that took place in various parts of the country and outside it were not the main reason for the final liberation of the African American population and the abolishment of slavery but were rather desperate attempts by separate groups who had been pushed to their limit and had had enough of the ill treatment they were receiving. This does not mean that they did not play a part in the fight for freedom and as a matter of fact they did contribute a large part to the struggle as their results helped show the slaves that they needed a better way of approaching the war against slavery if they were to survive to enjoy the fruits of their efforts (Genovese). There is a big difference between revolts and revolutions and as the fight against slavery wore on, the slaves learnt this difference and this knowledge allowed them to change their tactics to strategies that were more suitable to their survival. These strategies involved the use of their religion infused into politics and the question of Christian morality which encouraged accommodation and compromise as a proper response to the introduction of new cultures. This change of strategy from militant to political action enabled the African Americans to fight the war for freedom without incurring the numerous loss of life they would have no doubt have brought upon themselves (and at certain pints did) has they continued the use of physical violence as their main weapon (Junius 412). This does not mean that they were entirely incapable of mounting a revolution against the white population but lacked a number of circumstances to make such a revolution necessary. These circumstances included the organization and unity of the African populace that were spread around the country, the presence of a sufficient source of weaponry as compared to the slave masters and geographical advantage as apart from the Caribbean islands, the African population rarely outnumbered the white presence in the area which made them a dominant force. Thus it can be said that the daily based revolts which though eventually led to revolutions cannot be considered as genuine attempts to overthrow the white governance of the land as they were mostly held to settle personal or local scores against people of a certain area rather attain dominance over the slave masters of the region (Genovese). 2 Sufficient evidence for this argument is provided through out various parts of the Caribbean Islands as well as North America that support these claims. Some of this includes the disparity with which the number of cases of revolts appeared in the Caribbean Islands as compared to the Old South which could be considered as the stronghold for slavery in America. This can be attributed to the treatment of the slaves in the Islands (sugar cane plantations) and those in the south (tobacco farmers). There were a large number of revolts in the plantations due to their ill treatment which led to the slaves resulting to such desperate measures of violence after nearly being starved to death and undergoing rough treatment that made their lives horrible. The slaves in the South on the other hand had developed a sense of paternalism between the slaves and their masters which can be described as a sense of an agreement between both parties that involved the rights of the masters and the duties of the slaves. This is to say that there was a non spoken agreement between the slaves and their masters that if they did the work required of them they would be treated with some manner of humanity (Genovese). This meant that the slaves in the South were able to live fairly peaceful lives and build families and develop religion within their status as slaves and thus did not feel the urge to revolt as often as their Caribbean counterparts. The increase of creoles (African Americans born into slavery) also reduced the distance in the cultures of the masters and their slaves as they were not as different as those who had originated from Africa. However, this did not mean that African Americans readily accepted their status as friends and would revolt if the result was worth it (such as assured freedom) and there was a genuine chance of success if they made the effort. Substantiation of this can be seen in the rebellions that occurred in a few slave ships that were taken over and steered towards Haiti or the British colonies once it was known that they would be able to gain safety upon their arrival there (Genovese). Some more evidence supporting the fact that the lack of revolts by slaves did not mean that they were willing to accept their status as slaves can be found in their spiritual life. The slaves did not just absorb the Christian religion and accept it as their own but mixed it with parts of their own religions as well to develop a message of not only love but hope as well and their eventual deliverance from captivity (Junius 367). The spiritual leaders preached of a time when the day would come when they would all be free and the status of slave no longer existed. This showed that despite the lack of physical violence the slaves had not lost all hope or were willing to accept their position in society (). 3 The persuasiveness of the given argument can be said to be at a high level especially given the amount of evidence that exists to support it. There is also the matter of logic meaning that the idea makes sense once examined. The continued emergence of revolts by the slaves in different parts would have led to more bloodshed of the participants than success considering the circumstances and thus the best way was to change the course of the revolution to one that would result in less casualties and better results which was what the political arena provided. The lack of results from physical confrontations can be seen in by the failure of popular individuals such as Nat Turner and Gabriel Prosser who led some of the biggest revolts against slavery but were eventually crushed by the overwhelming forces of their opponents in the end (Genovese). Once a strategy displays its various weaknesses and lack of results, the wise thing to do is switch tactics which is exactly what the fighters for freedom did. By moving the war from the streets to the church gatherings and political conventions they were able to achieve more than their compatriots did with their small armies. Looking at facts such as the slave owners had access to better weaponry and more knowledge on their use and had military support should they have needed, violence would have truly been a suicidal attempt and helped no one in the end (Genovese). This is also seen from the results of other wars that have been waged that have resulted in nothing but casualties and those involved left to pick up the pieces once it is over. The religious content circumscribed by political realities provided a better route and opened up a path for people like Martin Luther King to continue the fight in the future (Junius Pg357). 4 This topic is also related to the contest of power not only between slaves and their masters but merchants and pirates as well for these struggles encouraged or discouraged the various revolts that took place in regions that were experiencing turmoil as the different European powers fought for supremacy allowing for the slaves in those sections to desert their owners and mount revolts such as was seen in the various upheavals caused by the slaves as the various white divisions fought for power. When there was general peace, the different groups were able to come together to suppress the slaves but otherwise the slaves were able to use the disunity among the various divisions to their advantage (Genovese). This was also seen between slaves and their masters when revolts occurred when the slaves were assured of outside support and thus encouraged them to fight for their freedom as circumstances appeared to lean towards their favor. Revolts have always risen when there was turmoil between warring factions that created a climate of confusion that the slaves were able to use to their advantage which happened quite a number of times in the Caribbean islands during the 17th and 18th century. This goes to depict that given the right set of circumstances, the slaves were willing to risk their lives and fight against the rule of their oppressors given there was a good chance of their success (Genovese). Works Cited Genovese, Eugene, D. From Rebellion to Revolution: Slave Revolts in Hemispheric Perspective, 1981. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. Junius P. Rodriguez. Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion, 2007. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Read More