Answer to Question #137994 in History for Beverly

Question

How did enslaved people fight back against their enslavement?

Answer 1

• Slaves could purchase their freedom by negotiating with their master for a purchase price and this was the most common way for slaves to be freed. Manumission also occurred during baptism, or as part of an owner's last will and testament.

• Freedom seekers- Most freedom seekers only managed to escape for a short time. They might hide in a nearby forest or visit a relative or spouse on another plantation. They did so to escape a harsh punishment that had been threatened, to obtain relief from a heavy workload, or just to escape life in bondage.

• Ordinary Acts of Resistance- The most common form of resistance was day-to-day resistance or small acts of rebellion. This form of resistance included sabotage, such as breaking tools or setting fire to buildings. Striking out at an enslaver's property was a way to strike at the man himself, albeit indirectly.