Final answer:
Enslaved people resisted slavery through daily acts of defiance, maroon communities, cultural retention, and rebellion. Maroon communities and the Stono Rebellion are particularly notable examples of resistance. These actions not only challenged the institution but also preserved their humanity and culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Enslaved individuals resisted the institution of slavery in numerous and often subtle ways. Forms of resistance included everyday acts of defiance, using the slaveholders' racism and paternalism to their advantage, and rebellion. Among the most notable expressions of resistance were maroon communities, the retention and fusion of African culture, and armed insurrections like the Stono Rebellion. These acts were simultaneously methods of survival and assertions of humanity against a system designed to strip them of both.
Maroon communities stood out as a bold and determined form of resistance, where escaped enslaved people created their own independent societies. The retention of African culture and the creation of new cultural forms, such as the development of Kweyol languages, were also significant forms of resistance that helped sustain enslaved peoples' sense of identity and dignity.
Despite immense risks, enslaved people engaged in resistance through actions that spanned sabotaging equipment, slowing down work, creating new kin networks, and combining cultural elements to forge resilient communities. Occasionally, these acts escalated to open revolts such as those led by individuals like Jemmy in the Stono Rebellion, which, despite its suppression, is remembered as a crucial act of resistance against the institution of slavery.