Andrew Rapp
New York Slave Conspiracy
Background
The New York Slave Conspiracy happened in 1741 at a time of economic lows in New York (Wood, 39). In a week's time there were ten incidents of houses being burned down (Sutherland). On March 8, 1741 Fort George was burnt to the ground (New York Courts). There were no witnesses or suspects so government offered any slaves freedom and a large cash reward for any information believing the fire might have been a result of slave conspiracy (New York Courts). At this time there was a large suspicion of a slave revolt as the overall population of slaves in New York was around 20% (New York Courts). As well there was a widespread suspicion of Catholic spies sent from Spain and France to try to sabotage the New World (Gilder Lehrman).
Conspiracy or Salem Witch Trials?
What happened next has many modern day historians in dispute, a young Irish indentured servant stepped forward with information (Gilder Lehrman). Mary Burton, the indentured slave, told the court, headed by judge Daniel Horsmanden, that her master John Hughson had conspired with slaves to burn down the buildings and also had a link in a recent robbery (New York Courts). The court prosecuted near to a hundred slaves similarly to the Salem Witch Trials giving no mercy unless they confessed (Sutherland). The result of this was thirteen slaves being burned at the stake, near to thirty executions including four whites of which John Hughson and his family were killed, and the deportation of seventy slaves back to the Caribbean where work was much harder (Sutherland). One of the whites was accused of being a Catholic spy with no evidence given as to whether or not he was a spy (New York Courts). Mary was freed and paid her cash reward none suspecting she did this for freedom. Looking back on the event and the harsh and rather quick judgment of Judge Horsmanden brings up many questions. Was there really a slave conspiracy or a rather intelligent indentured servant who realized the opportunity for early freedom? Some historians believe it was a bloody slave conspiracy while others believe it was a huge misunderstanding and a bad move on the part of the government (Wood & Gilder Lehrman). Even others suggest it was a show of power on part of the whites to show their superiority over the black slaves (Sutherland). Groups involved were New York colonists, supposive Spanish spies, and black slaves.
Result
The result of the trial was the execution of nearly fifty people and deportation of eighty including several whites (Sutherland). The New York decided that they no longer would import slaves from the Caribbean but directly from Africa (Sutherland). This resulted in further trade with the Dutch to bring more slaves to America and New York was used as a slave capitol where slaves were available to be bought and sent to the southern colonies.
Citations
Pictures
Flaming Houses- http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2wb65fQrHKE/Tg90Y6Vm_ZI/AAAAAAAAAPc/BFqQcUYHqrg/s1600/Burning+NY+set+by+slaves.jpg
Burning at the Stake- http://media-cacheec0.pinimg.com/736x/da/c6/c3/dac6c3a7005906f8da7160dcbe8f42f5.jpg
John Horsmanden's Journal- http://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/content-images/04205.01.001.web__0.jpg
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Sutherland, Claudia E. "New York Slave Conspiracy (1741) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed."New York Slave Conspiracy (1741) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. Washington University, n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.
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The Historical Society of the New York Courts. ""Legal History Matters"" The New York Slave Conspiracy Trials, 1741. The Historical Society of the New York Courts, n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.
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Horsmanden, Daniel. "The New York Conspiracy of 1741." The New York Conspiracy of 1741. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.
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Wood, Betty. Slavery in Colonial America, 1619-1776. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005. Print.
