The types of methods of resistance that enslaved blacks used in the Americas were revolts, whether planned or executed, and escapes. Revolts and resistance took place on the plantations, when slaves would pretend to be ill or break tools to make it look accidental (The Abolition Project, 2009). Some groups even used “guerilla tactics” to attack the plantations and attempt to free other slaves (The Abolition Project, 2009). Slave rebellions happened in many areas, most notably in Barbados in 1816, Demerara in 1823, and Jamaica in 1831 to 1832 (The National Archives, p. 2). These rebellions caused enough damage for slave owners to notice. In all of the Americas, many slaves attempted to escape and many were caught and either killed or brutally beaten. This led to the passing of laws that allowed for brutal punishment for slaves who tried to escape, but many still did with the help of the Underground Railroad.
These methods of resistance proved to be relatively successful in leading to the dismantlement of slavery in the Americas. Slave resistance was relatively unsuccessful on its own, but made the case for sympathy from abolitionists, who used their power on the outside to help. Slaves often ended up receiving severe punishment for their actions. In Barbados, the slaves who attempted to escape had slimmer chances than the slaves who were attempting to escape in other countries. These slaves had the unfortunate circumstances of geography to stop them; the island had a dense population, flat lands, and offered nowhere to go once they reached the water’s edge (Handler, 1997, p. 183). There was also a lack of refuge from the constant use of the forestry for sugar production (Handler, 1997, p. 190). Therefore, the act of running away itself led to abolitionism, but it was truly a movement that depended on both inside assistance and outside assistance from anti-slavery supporters. In fact, popular pressure was a major factor in the emancipation of slaves and the abolition of slavery (The National Archives, p. 1).
References
Handler, Jerome S. (1997). Escaping slavery in a Caribbean plantation society: Marronage in
Barbados, 1650s-1830s. New West Indian Guide, 3&4(71), 183-225.
http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/13822373- 90002605?crawler=true
The Abolition Project. (2009). Resistance to slavery. Retrieved February 12, 2016 from
http://abolition.e2bn.org/resistance.html
The National Archives. (n.d.). Emancipation. 1-3.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/slavery/pdf/emancipation.pdf
