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Denmark Vesey Essay

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Denmark Vesey was an African-American leader of an attempted slave insurrection in 1822. After many years as a slave, he won $1,500 in a lottery. Vesey used this money to purchase his freedom. He used his intelligence, energy, and luck to acquire considerable wealth and influence in South Carolina. All of these factors helped lead to the largest attempted slave revolt in American history. David Robertson’s book Denmark Vesey outlines his life as a slave, to his freedom, to his execution, and the consequences of the aftermath.
South Carolina was one of the only states in which the black slaves and abolitionists outnumbered their oppressors. Denmark Vesey’s slave revolt consisted …show more content…

Whether or not there is very much more information about Denmark Vesey to refer to is debatable. Denmark Vesey was detailed in certain areas such as antebellum conditions and other generally known events of the time. It had a considerable lack of detail in the area of the actual plans of revolt, those involved, and other issues.
Vesey took advantage of his situation after being freed from slavery, and educated himself. His intelligence and passion for abolishing slavery were the two key elements to his plans for revolt. The years 1820 – 1822 was the time period between Vesey’s freedom and death. In these two years, Vesey called assemblies for the slaves and abolitionists, covering the meetings with ‘church gatherings.’ Here, he used religious and moral ideals to preach to those opposed to slavery. Denmark Vesey had a strong sense of idealism, and an aggressive spirit, which he used to persuade people into the rebellion. He preached a doctrine of a consciousness of and pride in the cultural and physical aspects of the African heritage. With this, he was able to attract large numbers of blacks and abolitionists to partake in an enthusiastic undertaking that was difficult and extremely risky.
Denmark Vesey and his recruits had cruel intentions for the city of Charleston. In their “church meetings,” they planned to assassinate the governor and other highly elected

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