Question

In 1739, a slave revolt that began at the Stono River near Charles Town, South Carolina, led to the deaths of at least 20 white people and the burning of seven plantations. The Stono Rebellion eventually involved about 100 slaves who had planned to march to Spanish Florida, where they believed they would be free. The South Carolina militia put down the revolt, and nearly all of the participants either died in the fighting or were captured and executed. How did slave owners respond to slave revolts such as the Stono Rebellion?

Answer 1

Following the Stono Rebellion, slave owners and colonial authorities implemented the Negro Act of 1740 to drastically restrict the freedoms of enslaved individuals to prevent further revolts, revealing a pattern of increased repression in response to slave resistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

Response to Slave Revolts like the Stono Rebellion

In the aftermath of the Stono Rebellion, slave owners and colonial authorities responded with severe crackdowns and harsher laws to deter future revolts. The South Carolina legislature passed the Negro Act of 1740, also known as An Act for the Better Ordering and Governing of Negroes and Other Slaves in the Province, which imposed greater restrictions on the enslaved population. This law restricted enslaved people's ability to assemble, grow their own food, learn to write, and travel freely. Its purpose was to limit the opportunities for slaves to communicate and organize uprisings. These reactions were driven by fear and the desire to maintain control over the slave population which was seen as a principal danger after incidents like those in New York in 1712 and 1741, where slave conspiracies led to violence and destruction. Enslaved people's discontent, however, continued to manifest in various forms of resistance despite these oppressive measures.