Goal

It’s often difficult for students to understand the realities of enslaved Africans. Students may make assumptions about how they would have responded to enslavement. This classroom exercise challenges students to consider all the costs and consequences that enslaved people faced when responding to their enslavement. It forces students to think about the harsh realities of slavery and the practical issues that enslaved people grappled with when responding to their circumstances. Students consider all the challenges and issues that enslaved people faced when responding to their enslavement. Should they resist? Runaway? Rebel? Or simply survive?  

Prep

Students should be knowledgeable of the material realities of enslavement. This exercise should occur at a point in the class when the students have learned about the rise, development and basic structure of slavery as an economic, social, and political system. They also should also be familiar with cultural resistance, fugitive slaves, and rebellions. They should have some familiarity with the different ways that enslaved people responded to enslavement.

Format

Randomly break the class up into 4 or 5 groups. Each group is assigned a form of resistance, and they're asked to make a short presentation in which they deliver a compelling argument in favor of the resistance strategy they've been assigned. One group will argue that the enslaved community should use daily resistance (described), another supports the notion of running away, the third group advocates for armed rebellion. The final group are judges—they are the ones who listen to each argument, ask supplementary questions, and then vote on which form of resistance to employ. 

The exercise is usually a debate in which each group presents their argument to the entire class. They should consider commenting on both the strengths of their strategy and the weaknesses of the competing strategies. At the end, one group wins the debate by convincing the judges to endorse their strategy. 

Depending on the size of the class, you can also add a fifth group, which would argue simply to accommodate to slavery and survive, in order to ensure that future generations live and perhaps live free. 

Or, conversely, you could have all four groups (daily resisters, runaways, armed rebels, and accommodationists) and then have the entire class vote rather than have a separate group of judges. 

Outcomes

This exercise changes how students think about resistance against slavery when they have to consider tough questions about resources, strategies, and the punishments they might face, or even worse, the punishments their family members and loved ones might face. Make sure that each group is pushed to ask themselves hard questions about the strengths and weaknesses of their strategy and what hindrances or consequences they might face, not only if they fail, but also if they succeed.  

Instructions for student groups

Daily Resistance

Includes all of the following

Social resistance—building family and community

Cultural Resistance—developing “liberation theology”

Work Avoidance—working slowly, breaking tools, faking illness, etc…

Arson and Poisoning

Questions to consider

• Do you plan to use one of these strategies, or a combination of all of them?  
• What exactly is your plan going to be, and how will you implement it? What is your goal, and will you be successful?  How would you define “success” with daily resistance?
• If you choose something risky, such as arson or poisoning, how many people would you involve in the execution of your plan?  Would the conspirators include domestic slaves, field slaves, or both?
• What are the benefits of using the particular strategy you have chosen?  Why do you think that it is the most effective attack against slavery?
• What are the drawbacks or consequences of your strategy?  

Flight/Running Away

Questions to consider

• What exactly will your plan be? Are you planning to escape permanently or just temporarily run to the woods? How and when do you run? Do you know where you’re going and how to get there? Are you planning to run to the North, or to a maroon society?
• Do you have money, tools, or supplies to help you?  
• If you are successful, what are the benefits of running away?
• What risks are involved with this strategy? What are the potential consequences of your actions?

Armed Rebellion

Questions to consider

• What exactly is your plan going to be? What method or strategy are you going to use? 
• Do you have weapons? How many people are you going to include in the plan?  Are you going to include domestic slaves, field slaves, or both? 
• What is your long-term strategy? Do you plan to just attack your own plantation, or is this a larger movement?
• What is your plan for after the rebellion begins? Are you going to try to escape? Seek refuge in a maroon society, sail for Haiti, or return to Africa?
• What do you believe are the benefits to your strategy?
• What are the potential risks? What are the consequences of your actions?

Accommodation/Survival

Questions to consider

• What does it mean to “accommodate” to the system of slavery? What would your daily life look like? 
• What does “survival” mean during slavery and why is it important? 
• Do you feel like you are “selling out,” or is there something inherently valuable about surviving under these circumstances? 
• What are the potential benefits for you and your community if you choose to accommodate? What potentially negative consequences does your choice have?  ‍

Judges

Questions to consider

• What do you think would be the most effective response to slavery?  
• What is the goal?  Do you want to help people cope with slavery?  Escape it?  Destroy it?
• What are the potential problems with each of these strategies?  What are the potential drawbacks or consequences for each strategy?
• What specific flaws do you see for each strategy, that you would want to ask questions about?