American History Assignment

Chapter 13

In 1860 there are 15 slave states plus the District of Columbia. Cotton, rice and sugar could only be grown in the south. In Latin America, slave revolts were frequent, involving thousands of slaves. The most successful slave revolt was in rance’s colony, Saint Domingue and it was under the leadership of Toussaint L’Ouverture. There free blacks who had fought in the American Revolution because of France’s alliance with the United State’s brought back the idea of freedom and equality. The rebellion led to the establishment of Haiti in 1804 - the 2nd independent republic in the Western Hemisphere. Revolts happened in Jamaica too. Brazil had the largest number of slaves outside of the U.S. In Brazil the government took 50 years to suppress a revolt with a military force of 20,000 slaves. In contrast slave revolts were rare in the United States. Unlike in Latin America, in the Old South whites outnumbered blacks and the government was much more powerful. The most famous slave revolt in the U.S. was led by a literate slave preacher named Nat Turner. Turner and a group of 70 killed 57 white men, women and children. He was executed.

After Nat Turner’s rebellion laws increased restrictions on free African Americans.

- They couldn’t enter a new state - Couldn’t vote - Could not testify in court against white people - Had a curfew - Had to carry their free papers

4 million African Americans lived in the south only 7 percent of them were free.