Final answer:
Enslaved laborers in the antebellum South faced severe oppression and punishments deterring rebellion, despite outnumbering whites in places such as New Orleans. They relied on community, culture, and religion to cope, and although there were some revolts, they rarely ended successfully due to the white population's control over arms and authority.
Step-by-step explanation:
Despite outnumbering white people 60% to 40% in New Orleans, enslaved laborers in the antebellum South did not rise up en masse for several significant reasons. The harsh reality of enslavement was characterized by brutal working conditions, frequent family separations, and overarching climates of fear and oppression. Such conditions made organized rebellion exceedingly difficult and dangerous for those enslaved. The system of slavery itself was designed to suppress resistance, with severe punishments for those caught even attempting to revolt. Additionally, the white population, though smaller in number, held nearly all the firepower and political authority, effectively intimidating and preventing large-scale uprisings.
Aside from the ever-present threat of physical retaliation, enslaved people found ways to cope and resist within the confines of their enslavement. They developed strong kinship networks, relied on storytelling, song, and Christianity for solace, and sometimes engaged in subtle forms of resistance like work slowdowns or sabotage. There were a few notable uprisings, such as the one led by Charles Deslondes in 1811, but these were exceptional cases and often brutally suppressed.
The economic structure of both the North and South was heavily intertwined with the institution of slavery, which was a national, not merely a Southern, institution. Profitability and dependency on this system made it challenging for enslaved people to find sympathizers within the white population and complicated potential alliances for uprisings. Despite the prevalence of slavery in urban centers like New Orleans and the existence of free Black persons, the overall conditions of racial discrimination, combined with stringent laws and the threat of violence, largely prevented enslaved laborers from organizing large-scale demands for freedom.