Final answer:
Enslaved people employed various strategies for resistance, including retaining African culture, forming independent communities, and manipulating white slaveholders' philosophies. Factors contributing to success or failure included fear of retaliation and the personalities of slaveholders.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of slavery, creative resistance refers to the various strategies employed by enslaved people to resist their captivity and assert their humanity. These strategies included the retention of African culture, the formation of independent communities, and the manipulation of white slaveholders' own philosophies, such as paternalism and Christianity, to their advantage.
Enslaved people resisted slavery in small ways every day, such as damaging tools or feigning ignorance, to disrupt the productivity of their masters. They also engaged in more dramatic forms of resistance, like poisoning their captors or reporting rebellious slaves to gain preferential treatment. Additionally, enslaved people maintained their dignity and cultural traditions, forming new kin networks, creating new religions, and developing music, dance, and storytelling influenced by African practices.
Factors contributing to the success or failure of enslaved people's efforts at resistance included the fear of retaliation and the individual personalities and caprices of slaveholders. Enslaved people understood that rebellion was risky and had slim chances of success, often resulting in severe punishment. However, white slaveholders' constant fear of uprisings led them to take drastic measures, such as torture and mutilation, even when no uprising was actually happening.