Major Rebellions
New York City, 1712 Like many later
revolts, this one occurred during a period of social dissension among whites
following Leisler's Rebellion. The rebels espoused traditional African religion.
Stono Rebellion, 1739 The Spanish
empire enticed slaves of English colonies to escape to Spanish territory. In
1733 Spain issued an edict to free all runaway slaves from British territory who
made their way into Spanish possessions. On September 9, 1739, about 20 slaves,
mostly from Angola, gathered under the leadership of a slave called Jemmy near
the Stono River, 20 miles from Charleson. 44 blacks and 21 whites lost their
lives. South Carolina responded by placing import duties on slaves from abroad,
strengthening patrol duties and militia training, and recommending more benign
treatment of slaves.
Gabriel's Rebellion, 1800 This
attempted insurrection near Richmond was organized during the Haitian Revolution
and the undeclared naval war between the U.S. and France.
Denmark Vesey's Conspiracy, 1822 This
failed insurrection was organized soon after the contentious debate over the
admission of Missouri as a slave state. Like Gabriel, Vesey consciously looked
to Haiti for inspiration and support.
Nat Turner, 1832 This insurrection
took place at a time when slaves in Jamaica had staged one of the largest
revolts in history, when radical abolition had arisen in the North, and Britain
was debating slave emancipation.