Slave Resistance - 1895 Words

Abstract Since the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, captured Africans thought and plotted of ways to resist their bondage. After landing in America enslaved Africans resisted slavery in many forms; some of these were passive while others were more outright and violent. This essay will discuss forms of resistance used by slaves during their journey to America, as well as common forms of resistance slaves used while living on plantations. These forms of resistance were running away, slave revolts, and subtle day to day resistance. Regardless of the form of resistance used, slaves were not content living a life of bondage and used all means available to resist no matter the consequence. The transition into a life of slavery†¦show more content†¦Deep down the slave owners lived in the constant fear of the slaves rebelling against their lives in bondage. Slaveholders understood that as long as slavery existed so too would resistance. This is one of the reasons why slaveholders tried to improve the material conditions of the slaves. The above forms of resistance were more noticeable and sometimes violent, however, slave also resisted in subtle ways. These were known as day to day resistance. Slaves were often considered lazy and dumb by their slave owners. The image of the African slave in the Americas has left a lasting perception that all slaves were docile and eager to assimilate to the culture of their captives. The stereotypical image of a slave was that of a lazy, easy going, childlike, irresponsible, helpless, smiling, shiftless, dancing, and senseless singing slave who was content with his life as a servant. This image has transcended decades. It was b elieved that the typical African slave in the Americas did not rebel against their oppressors. This could not be further from the truth, but slaves often used this stereotype to their advantage often to get out of work and punishment. Small acts of resistance though dangerous were regular events in slave communities. â€Å"The slightest command could be wrongly interpreted or carelesslyShow MoreRelatedEssay on Slavery - Slave Resistance1173 Words   |  5 Pagescomplete myth. Most slaves were dissatisfied with their stations in life, and longed to have the right of freedom. Their owners were acutely conscious of this fact and went to great lengths to prevent slave uprisings from occurring. An example of a drastic measure would be the prohibition of slaves receiving letters. They were also not allowed to converge outside church after services, in hopes of stopping conspiracy. Yet the slaves still managed to fight back. 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