Blog 4: Ethnic Slave Rebellions

There were many different Ethnic groups in the slave community described in the article.  The ethnic groups were mostly defined by what area of Africa they derived from or the language they spoke. It also included what part of the Carribean they were settled in. The Creole slaves and they Maroon slaves were the two ethnic groups described the most in the article. The Creoles considered themselves different and somewhat superior to other slaves that were bought over from Africa, because of being born in the New world. They were better able to confirm with their situations. The Maroons were comprised of runaway slaves. The government thought it was too many to try to take over so they wished to compromise. They were offered parts of land where they could live free as long as they promised not to take in more runaway slaves. Most of them did comply for concern over their own freedom and safety. The Akan group was the more dominant group over in Jamaica for they made up the majority of the maroons.
     Slaves would starve themselves, try to over throw the slave ships they were aboard, or kill themselves as acts of rebellion or resistance. The slaves that did make it over almost immediately began putting together strategies on how to gain their freedom. Although there was a lot of mistrust amongst the different ethnic groups, some still managed to gain the upper hand by running away or killing there masters mostly by poisoning them. The Africans who were bought over on slave ships I believe had a greater hunger to be free because they already knew what freedom was before they were stripped from their native land. The Africans who were born in the new world had a greater sense of loyalty sort of speak to their masters. They had no knowledge of a different or better way of living. Some of them either wanted to runaway but feared the reprucussions if caught, or they felt like their living conditions weren't that bad.  The runaway slaves who made up the maroons had a taste of freedom and didnt want to lose it. For this reason, they conformed to whatever guidelines that were put in place by their government.