Stono's Rebellion

Key Events 

• The Uprising: Led by an enslaved man named Jemmy (possibly "Cato"), a group of about 20 enslaved people—many from the Kingdom of Kongo—raided a firearms shop at Hutchinson's store. They killed the shopkeepers, armed themselves, and began marching south toward Spanish Florida.
• The March: As they marched, they beat drums and shouted "Liberty!". Their numbers grew to roughly 60–100 participants as more enslaved people joined them along the way. They burned plantations and killed approximately 20–25 white colonists.
• Motivations: Historians believe the rebels were spurred by the Spanish Proclamation, which promised freedom and land to any fugitive slaves who reached St. Augustine, Florida.
• The Aftermath: A white militia caught up with the group near the Edisto River. Most of the rebels were killed in the ensuing battle or captured and executed later. 

Major Consequences 

The rebellion deeply terrified the white population, leading to immediate and long-term legal changes: 

1. Negro Act of 1740: South Carolina passed this comprehensive law, which became a model for slave codes across the South. It strictly prohibited enslaved people from:
   • Assembling in groups.
   • Growing their own food.
   • Learning to read or write.
   • Earning their own money.
2. Increased Surveillance: The colony established more frequent patrols and required white men to carry firearms to church on Sundays to prevent future surprise uprisings.
3. Halted Importation: Concerned by the high number of "freshly" imported Africans, the colony placed a 10-year moratorium on the importation of new enslaved people to try and stabilize the population. 

Would you like to know more about the Spanish Florida policy that motivated the rebels, or perhaps more detail on the Negro Act of 1740? 

• Stono rebellion | Definition, History, Significance, & Facts

  Dec 29, 2025 — Stono rebellion, large slave uprising on September 9, 1739, near the Stono River, 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Charleston, South ...

  

• Stono Rebellion | Research Starters - EBSCO

  The Stono Rebellion, which occurred on September 9, 1739, in South Carolina, was one of the largest slave uprisings in the British...

• Stono Rebellion - Wikipedia

  The Stono Rebellion (also known as Cato's Conspiracy or Cato's Rebellion) was a slave revolt that began on 9 September 1739, in th...note { position: absolute; z-index: 10; border: none; outline: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; padding: 5px; min-width: 32px; min-height: 32px; } .note:focus { z-index: 11; } .note[type="0"] { background-color: #fff740; color: #2c2c2d; } .note[type="0"]::placeholder { color: #868226; } .note[type="1"] { background-color: #feff9c; color: #2c2c2d; } .note[type="1"]::placeholder { color: #6d6d3d; } .note[type="2"] { background-color: #ff65a3; color: #2c2c2d; } .note[type="2"]::placeholder { color: #65263f; } .note[type="3"] { background-color: #ff7eb9; color: #2c2c2d; } .note[type="3"]::placeholder { color: #562b3f; } .note[type="4"] { background-color: #7afcff; color: #295c5d; } .note[type="4"]::placeholder { color: #377677; }