Copper Sun Essay Question Two
Slave revolts sometimes occurred but not very often. Slaves greatly outnumbered masters, so why weren’t there more? Many things were in place to prevent an uprising, these being some of the most important: Slaves didn’t have weapons other than their fists and handmade clubs, while the masters had whips, guns and knives. Slaves were too scared to disobey, because the punishments were extreme and barbaric. Some punishments included mutilation, branding, whipping and even death. These were highly publicized to prevent other slaves from rioting. If a slave revolt got out of hand and the master was overthrown, other owners and militias would step in to kill off the slaves. This happened in 1712 when 25 blacks armed with clubs and stolen guns killed nine whites, before being killed or captured by the army. 18 of them were brutally executed.
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In Copper Sun it shows how slave owners have guns and are not afraid to use them. “Then with one hand, he cocked the musket and aimed it at Noah’s broad chest.” (183) (Mr. Derby, about to slay a slave named Noah). Slaves also had trouble using and understanding guns, as there was never a need for them in their homeland. This sentence shows how slaves didn’t even know what a gun was, let alone how it worked. “The first explosion came from the end of one of the unusual weapon sticks the strangers carried.” (12) (A slave trader shooting the chief during a raid.) Guns were a key player in slavery, as the traders would have had a hard time fighting the Africans hand-to-hand without