Slave Law and the Politics of Resistance in the Early Atlantic World

The Success Of The English Colony Of Barbados In The Seventeenth Century, With Its Lucrative Sugar Plantations And Enslaved African Labor, Spawned The Slave Societies Of Jamaica In The Western Caribbean And South Carolina On The American Mainland. These Became The Most Prosperous Slave Economies In The Anglo-american Atlantic, Despite The Rise Of Enlightened Ideas Of Liberty And Human Dignity. Slave Law And The Politics Of Resistance In The Early Atlantic World Reveals The Political Dynamic Between Slave Resistance And Slaveholders' Power That Marked The Evolution Of These Societies. Edward Rugemer Shows How This Struggle Led To The Abolition Of Slavery Through A Law Of British Parliament In One Case And Through Violent Civil War In The Other. In Both Jamaica And South Carolina, A Draconian System Of Laws And Enforcement Allowed Slave Masters To Maintain Control Over The People They Enslaved, Despite Resistance And Recurrent Slave Revolts. Brutal Punishments, Patrols, Imprisonment, And State-sponsored Slave Catchers Formed An Almost Impenetrable Net Of Power. Yet Slave Resistance Persisted, Aided And Abetted By Rising Abolitionist Sentiment And Activity In The Anglo-american World. In South Carolina, Slaveholders Exploited Newly Formed Levers Of Federal Power To Deflect Calls For Abolition And To Expand Slavery In The Young Republic. In Jamaica, By Contrast, Whites Fought A Losing Political Battle Against Caribbean Rebels And British Abolitionists Who Acted Through Parliament. Rugemer's Comparative History Spanning Two Hundred Years Of Slave Law And Political Resistance Illuminates The Evolution And Ultimate Collapse Of Slave Societies In The Atlantic World.-- Prologue: At The Heart Of Slavery -- England's First Slave Society, Barbados -- Animate Capital -- The Domestication Of Slavery In South Carolina -- The Militarization Of Slavery In Jamaica -- The Transformation Of Slavery's Politics -- The Slaveholders Retrench -- The Political Significance Of Slave Resistance. Edward B. Rugemer. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Winner of the Jerry H. Bentley Book Prize, World History Association The success of the English colony of Barbados in the seventeenth century, with its lucrative sugar plantations and enslaved African labor, spawned the slave societies of Jamaica in the western Caribbean and South Carolina on the American mainland. These became the most prosperous slave economies in the Anglo-American Atlantic, despite the rise of enlightened ideas of liberty and human dignity. Slave Law and the Politics of Resistance in the Early Atlantic World reveals the political dynamic between slave resistance and slaveholders' power that marked the evolution of these societies. Edward Rugemer shows how this struggle led to the abolition of slavery through a law of British Parliament in one case and through violent civil war in the other. In both Jamaica and South Carolina, a draconian system of laws and enforcement allowed slave masters to maintain control over the people they enslaved, despite resistance and recurrent slave revolts. Brutal punishments, patrols, imprisonment, and state-sponsored slave catchers formed an almost impenetrable net of power. Yet slave resistance persisted, aided and abetted by rising abolitionist sentiment and activity in the Anglo-American world. In South Carolina, slaveholders exploited newly formed levers of federal power to deflect calls for abolition and to expand slavery in the young republic. In Jamaica, by contrast, whites fought a losing political battle against Caribbean rebels and British abolitionists who acted through Parliament. Rugemer's comparative history spanning two hundred years of slave law and political resistance illuminates the evolution and ultimate collapse of slave societies in the Atlantic World. The success of the English colony of Barbados in the seventeenth century, with its lucrative sugar plantations and enslaved African labor, spawned the slave societies of Jamaica in the western Caribbean and South Carolina on the American mainland. These became the most prosperous slave economies in the Anglo-American Atlantic, despite the rise of enlightened ideas of liberty and human dignity. Slave Law and the Politics of Resistance in the Early Atlantic World reveals the political dynamic between slave resistance and slaveholders' power that marked the evolution of these societies. Edward Rugemer shows how this struggle led to the abolition of slavery through a law of British Parliament in one case and through violent civil war in the other. In both Jamaica and South Carolina, a draconian system of laws and enforcement allowed slave masters to maintain control over the people they enslaved, despite resistance and recurrent slave revolts. Brutal punishments, patrols, imprisonment, and state-sponsored slave catchers formed an almost impenetrable net of power. Yet slave resistance persisted, aided and abetted by rising abolitionist sentiment and activity in the Anglo-American world. In South Carolina, slaveholders exploited newly formed levers of federal power to deflect calls for abolition and to expand slavery in the young republic. In Jamaica, by contrast, whites fought a losing political battle against Caribbean rebels and British abolitionists who acted through Parliament. Rugemer's comparative history spanning two hundred years of slave law and political resistance illuminates the evolution and ultimate collapse of slave societies in the Atlantic World.-- Provided by publisher The success of the English colony of Barbados in the seventeenth century, with its lucrative sugar plantations and enslaved African labor, spawned the slave societies of Jamaica in the western Caribbean and South Carolina on the American mainland. These became the most prosperous slave economies in the Anglo-American Atlantic, despite the rise of enlightened ideas of liberty and human dignity.__Slave Law and the Politics of Resistance in the Early Atlantic World__reveals the political dynamic between slave resistance and slaveholders' power that marked the evolution of these societies. Edward Rugemer shows how this struggle led to the abolition of slavery through a law of British Parliament in one case and through violent civil war in the other.In both Jamaica and South Carolina, a draconian system of laws and enforcement allowed slave masters to maintain control over the people they enslaved, despite resistance and recurrent slave revolts. Brutal punishments, patrols, imprisonment, and state-sponsored slave catchers formed an almost impenetrable net of power. Yet slave resistance persisted, aided and abetted by rising abolitionist sentiment and activity in the Anglo-American world. In South Carolina, slaveholders exploited newly formed levers of federal power to deflect calls for abolition and to expand slavery in the young republic. In Jamaica, by contrast, whites fought a losing political battle against Caribbean rebels and British abolitionists who acted through Parliament.Rugemer's comparative history spanning two hundred years of slave law and political resistance illuminates the evolution and ultimate collapse of slave societies in the Atlantic World. Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 10 List of Maps 12 Epigraphs 15 Prologue. At the Heart of Slavery 16 Chapter 1. England’s First Slave Society, Barbados 26 Chapter 2. Animate Capital 50 Chapter 3. The Domestication of Slavery in South Carolina 90 Chapter 4. The Militarization of Slavery in Jamaica 135 Chapter 5. The Transformation of Slavery’s Politics 186 Chapter 6. The Slaveholders Retrench 228 Chapter 7. The Political Significance of Slave Resistance 263 Notes 320 Acknowledgments 378 Notes on the Maps 384 Index 386