Stono Rebellion
- When
- 1739–1740
- Where
- Stono River, 20 miles southwest of Charleston; Near the Edisto River; South Carolina General Assembly
- Episodes
- 3
On 9 September 1739, enslaved people led by Jemmy launched a major revolt near the Stono River in South Carolina. The uprising resulted in significant casualties and led to the passage of the restrictive Negro Act of 1740.
Episodes
- Initial Gathering
Jemmy gathered twenty enslaved Kongolese near the Stono River to begin the revolt.
- March and Recruitment
The group recruited nearly 60 other slaves and killed more than 20 whites before being intercepted.
- Legislative Response
The General Assembly passed the Negro Act of 1740 to restrict slaves' freedoms and importation.
Background and detail
Background. By 1739, enslaved Africans formed the majority of South Carolina's population due to labor demands for rice and cotton. Historians describe this as a 'slave society' where slavery was central to the economy. Many enslaved people had previously been sold in the West Indies before arriving in the colony.
Causes. The rebellion was likely inspired by several factors, including offers of freedom by Spanish agents known to Portuguese-speaking slaves. The Security Act of 1739, passed in response to earlier runaways, had not fully taken effect. Leaders were likely from the Kingdom of Kongo, as they were Catholic and spoke Portuguese.
Suppression and Aftermath. The group was intercepted and defeated by the South Carolina militia near the Edisto River. In response, the General Assembly passed the Negro Act of 1740, which restricted slaves' freedoms, placed a moratorium on importing new slaves, and required a ratio of one white to ten blacks on plantations.
People involved
- Jemmy · Leader of the rebellion
- William Bull · Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina
Sources
- Stono Rebellion Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-05
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.