0. Hannah DalSoglio and Carson Shaw
Slave Revolts
Hannah DalSoglio and Carson Shaw

1. History of Slave Revolts
200 plots and actual uprisings before the Civil War
New York uprising
Triggered more uprisings that were quickly squashed by punishment of slave owners
Cato’s Conspiracy
Hannah
It is estimated that in the 17th century through the Civil War, there were over 200 plots, conspiracies, and actual uprisings by slaves.
In colonial times, there were several revolts by slaves, beginning in the early 1700s. In 1712, houses on the edge of New York City were set on fire by about 25 armed African slaves. 9 white men were killed, and after it was all over, the 18 remaining, rebellious slaves were brutally executed for their revolt. This revolt set a pattern for more revolts to come later, but the chaos caused by these rebelling slaves was nothing compared to the punishments they got in result.
Nonetheless, in 1739, an attempt to march to Spanish Florida for their freedom by about eighty slaves lead to a confrontation between armed white men and resulted in 44 slave deaths and about 21 deaths of white men.
These two revolts built up fear in the minds of the colonial slave holders, so even some unconfirmed reports of impending slave revolts caused the death of many black as well as white people.
It was in the 19th century that slave revolts really started to make a difference in America.

2. Gabriel’s Rebellion Blacksmith French, Quakers, and Methodists
August 30, 1800
Rebellion Failed
Members were Executed
South
Passed laws to prevent slaves to be literate
North
Scrutiny on South
Push for Liberty
Carson

3. Denmark Vesey’s Conspiracy
May Charleston
Vesey, a free black man, lead the conspiracy
Following trial, Vesey and 35 others were hanged
Caused more restrictive laws
Vesey became a symbol and inspiration for abolitionists
Hannah
In May 1822, a plot was discovered for slaves to take over the city of Charleston in July. Leading the fray was Denmark Vesey, a free black man who had bought his freedom in Even though he was free, however, he had seen the horrors of slavery and the slave trade, and he wanted more than anything to free his people and abolish slavery. He was inspired by the successful conspiracy of slaves in Saint Domingue, Haiti, in 1791, having been naitively born there, and figured if they could do it there, he could do it in South Carolina.
According to testimonies in the extensive trial that followed the discovery of the conspiracy, Vesey and a man named Monday Gell were trying to rally slaves and collect arms so that the group could take over the city. Word got out to slaves that were more loyal to their masters, and soon the plot was revealed. Even when he tried to push the date forward to mid-June, that date was quickly discovered as well, and the search began for Vesey and his followers.
Following the lengthy trial, Vesey and 35 of his followers were sentenced to death by hanging, and 43 were deported.
Because of this conspiracy, the slave-owning population of South Carolina quickly started to create laws that restricted the free movement of slaves and that did not allow even free black people into the ports for fear of starting up another rebellion. Vesey, however, stayed an inspiration to his people, including abolitionists such as John Brown, and because of this uprising, he was honored in the battle cry of the first black regiment to fight in the Civil War: “Remember Denmark Vesey of Charleston!”

4. Nat Turner’s Revolt One of the Largest Revolts Spiritual Leader
August 22, 1831
Met by White Militia
South
Tighten Slave Laws
North
Virginia
Wanted Liberty for Slaves

5. Effect on the Civil War Both positive and negative effects
Rebellions inspired more revolts and other slaves to run away from their masters
Resulted in harsher laws about returning runaways, limiting slaves leaving their masters, and not allowing slaves to be taught to read or write
However more rebellion sparked more unrest leading up to the war
Showed the North the level of anger the slaves had for the way they were being treated, which made them consider the idea more and more that slavery was far to harsh or even that it should be abolished. It also revealed the vulnerabilities of the South, which led to more extreme laws.

6. Works Cited
"Court Proceedings and Testimony regarding the Denmark Vesey Rebellion Trial, 1822." TeachingUSHistory.org. Teaching American History in South Carolina Project, n.d. Web. 07 Sept
(Primary Source) “Court Proceedings and Testimony Regarding the Vesey Rebellion,” June 1822-August 1822, 1-2. General Assembly. Governors' messages. S South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina.
Gale, Thomson. "Denmark Vesey ( )." The Christian Broadcasting Network. The Gale Group, n.d. Web. 07 Sept
History.com Staff. "Slave Rebellions." History.com. A&E Television Networks, Web. 04 Sept

7. Works Cited
Holloway, Sarah. "Causes of the Civil War." HL History of the Americas. Renaissance High School. Renaissance High School, Meridian. 2 Sept Lecture.
United States. National Park Service. "Slave Rebellions." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 06 Sept Web. 07 Sept
"9.1 Nat Turner's Rebellion." Nat Turner's Rebellion. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept
"Gabriel's Conspiracy." Gabriel's Conspiracy. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept
"Gabriel's Rebellion: Another View of Virginia in 1800." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 07 Sept