The Art of Rebellion

Patrick Hovsepian

Word Count:1974

The Art of Rebellion

There have been many controversial arguments surrounding the Atlantic Slave Trade
throughout centuries by historians. Accumulating documents over the years in accordance to the
slave trade has led to many fascinating discoveries into the way the world was in those times.
There was constant change and a massive amount of slaves were brought from overseas
numbering in the millions. This had a major impact on the New World and other countries such
as Portugal, Spain, and France. Soon after the market was established and began to flourish
problems began to surface. There were problems at the ports, on the plantations, and even in the
governing offices, and a plan of action needed to be made. By analyzing the Atlantic Slave
Trade, the need for laws and regulations become necessary to prevent catastrophe both socially
and economically. In an attempt to prevent rebellion both on plantations and ships, slave owners
took an approach to maintain high morale by focusing on the well-being of the slaves, merchants
stripped blacks of any opportunity for power, and lawmakers instilled fear of punishment if laws
were broken. Looking into these strategies more in depth will give us a way to conclude the
intentions of said persons and find the best course of action to take in order to prevent social and
economic downfall.
The Atlantic Slave Trade took place for 400 years between the 1400s and the 1800s
across the Atlantic Ocean. The main slave traders in this era were the French, Spanish, British,
and the Portuguese. The slave trade was big business and was flourishing into one of the biggest
markets in the world. There is no wonder as to why this would cause such a commotion that led
to socially and economic down falls across the world. The best example of this is found in the
document The King of the Congo Writes to the King of Portugal (13). The document describes
a letter sent by Mzinga Mbemba Afonso, the King of Congo, to King Joao III, the King of

Portugal, in the early 1500s. Afonso was converted to Christianity by Portuguese missionaries at
a young age and became King after his Father died. Afonso recognized the social and economic
dangers that the Atlantic Slave Trade could bring to his kingdom. In an effort to prevent
catastrophe he writes two letters to the King of Portugal to plea with him for a peaceful
resolution. The trade that was brought overseas from Europe was mainly guns and these items
were traded for local goods, mainly slaves. This became a huge threat because now we have guns
in circulation in the country and as long as you got the goods you can have the guns. The hunger
for power and guns made people turn to crime to achieve their goals and ended up creating a
Black Market in the country. Many of our subjects greatly covet the goods which your men
bring in our kingdoms from Portugal. To quench this uncontrollable thirst they kidnap many of
our free or freed black subjects, even nobles, sons of noblemen and even our relatives. They sell
them to the white men who are in our kingdom after having delivered their prisoners in secret or
during the night in order not to be recognized. (13). Kidnapping innocent people to use for slave
trade became a huge cause for concern and an attack on public order. The King knew that if this
continued the people would rebel and the ports would become battlegrounds instead of trade
markets. and so great, Sir, is the corruption and licentiousness that our country is being
completely depopulated (13). Due to the corruption in the trade market, the economy of Congo
was threatened because the country was losing its workers, businessmen, and merchants, all
necessary factors to have a thriving economy. The corruption became so great that the country
was nearing complete depopulation. In an attempt to prevent further damage and total loss, King
Afonso proposed to only allow trade of flour and wine from Portugal, instead of guns, to prevent
any more forced slavery for desired goods and keep the people at peace.

After reviewing the document A Planter Instructs his Plantation Manager about
Enslaved Workers (43), we were able to identify how slave owners treated their slaves in hopes
to prevent rebellion. Joseph Ball was an owner of a plantation in Virginia but lived in Great
Britain, so he had a Plantation Manager and instructed him on how the slaves were to be looked
after. Ball tells his plantation manager, Joseph Chinn, on how to treat the slaves if sick. If any of
the Negroes should be sick, let them by a Good fire; and have fresh Meat &broth; and blood, and
vomit them, as you shall think proper (43). Ball uses a fair approach with his slaves by taking
care of them when they are sick instead of forcing them to work in those conditions. Ball was
very strategic in many ways, such as taking care of his investment by making sure no permanent
damage be done to the slaves. The goal of not abusing the slaves was to make them feel taken
care of, thus less likely to rebel and maintaining a peaceful work environment. Ball also instructs
Chinn to have clothes prepared for all seasons to properly equip each worker for their job; And
all the workers must have Good strong Shoes, & stockings: and they that go after the Creatures
[livestock], or Much in the Wet, must have two pair of Shoes (43). Nothing frustrates a worker
more than improper equipment and Ball ensures that all workers are prepared for success out in
the field. Bell is firm in saying Let not the overseers abuse my People. Nor let them abuse their
overseer (44). Balls plantation is more desired by slaves, considering the accommodations he
makes for their health and well-being. What better way to prevent rebellion than by making
everyone happy?
Merchants of the slave trade had a different approach when it came to keeping the peace.
Their approach was geared towards creating loop holes in the laws and unarming and
constricting the rights of slaves and freedmen. The original fear of merchants was that black
slaves and poor white people would unite and revolt creating major losses in profit. They came

up with a plan called The Virginia Slave Code, which mandated an inferior racial and
legal status for blacks while simultaneously elevating opportunities for poor whites (23). This
would create a divide between the two groups and eliminate the threat of a united revolution. We
come across our first attempt at generating more profit with the code all servants imported and
brought into this country by sea or land, who were not Christians in their native country shall be
accounted and be slaves, and as such be here bought and sold not withstanding a conversion to
Christianity afterwards (23). This allowed a guaranteed flow of slaves coming into Virginia and
prevented slaves from exempting themselves from labor by converting to Christianity. The
Virginia Slave code also states that there shall be paid and allowed to every imported servant,
not having yearly wages, at the time of service ended, by the master or owner of such servant
(23). This declared that all white servants were to be given a fair pay at the end of their service to
ensure greater opportunities for them after their services had been rendered. Now, the most
significant code was that of weapons for slaves, which states that no slave go armed with gun,
sword, club, staff, or other weapon, nor go from off the plantation and seat of land where such
slave shall be appointed to live (23). By greatly limiting the threats at hand the merchants
ensured plantation owners safety. This allowed the merchants to promote the purchase of more
slaves, leading to more profits. The Virginia Slave Code ensured the safety of all slave owners
and merchants by stripping slaves of any opportunities for power, thus discouraging any
uprisings.
Now we will look into how the law makers of this time planned to implement laws with
severe consequences in an effort to reduce the chances of a slave rebellion. Reading the
document The Mississippi Black Code (113) shows that these sets of laws were instituted by
President Andrew Johnson in 1865 in an effort to prevent any type of revolt from black slaves by

essentially threatening to enslave even free slaves in the event of any law violations. One of
these laws was the Vagrant Law (113) that ensured that all freed slaves would be on their best
behavior at all times or they would be fined and incarcerated for it. It also prevented them from
meeting and had an even more severe punishment of a 6 month incarceration for white people if
they affiliated themselves with blacks. This was in effort to ensure that the blacks would not be
able to have a voice or any help to rise up against the higher authorities. The next law was called
the Civil Rights of Freedmen (114) and in section 5 of the law it describes how freedmen must
have jobs and can only work the plantations. This in essence says you are free but still have to
live the life of a slave just under a new title, and to ensure peace they enforce consequences that
most slaves or freedmen couldnt bear. Now the only thing missing is the taking away of
weapons to ensure protection and guarantee execution of these laws. In the Penal Laws of
Mississippi if enacted, no freedman would be able to own a guy and if caught they would be put
on trial. If the freedmen were to break any law and be fined they had 5 days to pay it. Since it
was highly unlikely that they would be able to pay it, this leads us to Section 5 of the law, which
states that if any freedman such person shall be hired out by the sheriff or other officer, at public
outcry, to any white person who will pay said fine and all costs, and take said convict for
the shortest time (118). This is a trap for all freedmen; all who dont pay their fines will then be
sold back into slavery. This was a brilliant approach to maintain that freedmen remain as slaves
and also to maintain peace and order, as it instilled fear of citation, incarceration, and being sold
back into slavery.
In conclusion, we gathered enough scenarios and strategies to conclude that establishing
laws and regulations regarding the slave trade was necessary to prevent social and economic
catastrophe. Keeping slave morale high by looking out for slaves well-being was a successful

approach used by plantation owners to prevent uprisings. Stripping blacks of any power was an
effective approach used by merchants for preventing slave uprisings. And finally, the fear of
punishment and the threat of being sold back into slavery as a result of break any laws set by
lawmakers was another effective approach for preventing slave uprisings. In comparison to the
other strategies we find a lot of traps, loop holes, shady schemes, and just bad intentions. This
course of action would lead to an inevitable break down and massive revolt from slaves and put
the entire nation at risk. The Atlantic Slave Trade analysis lead to the revelation of needs for laws
and regulations for social and economic purposes, while plantation owners used fair treatment,
merchants stripped power from the slaves, and law makers forced blacks back into slavery or
receive dire consequences. Overall, we can conclude that the Atlantic Slave Trade made a huge
impact in history and we still feel the repercussion of them today.