Denmark Vessy Revolt

Denmark, Vessy, Revolt 1. Question: How to Denmark come to this country and why was he free? Denmark came from Africa and was a slave on a ship. He played a role as a cabin boy and soon became a rower. After that he won a lottery of $1500 in the town of Charleston. What he did with his money was ask his master if he could buy his freedom. His master soon said what do you think you are worth? Denmark replied, I don’t know, that is your decision. His master said that he could buy his freedom for the amount of $600. Right then and there Denmark realized that his master had just done him a huge favor, because now he could buy his wife as well.

2. Question: What set Denmark apart from other slaves in the film? What made Denmark different from the other slaves was the fact that he was free. The other slaves were working on command and Denmark was working on his own will but even though he was free he was still treated with the same respect which was none.

3. Question: Identify at least 3 characters and what role they played? Denmark. Denmark was a free man who had this plan to escape back to Africa. He is very brave and wants his respect. Backus. Backus always did what he was told and always respected his master. He always thought that his master treated him well. It wasn’t until Denmark invited him to join up with his plan. Backus had said no because he didn’t want to because his master was good to him but then he realized that it wasn’t right. If a white man used a black man for slavery, if God created them both. Benjamin. Benjamin was Backus’s master. When Backus was accused of being a part in a plan to escape back to Africa he didn’t want to believe it but only because he had thought he treated him like a son.

4. Question: Describe Denmark’s plan? Denmark’s plan was to start a fire down in the field in the plantation and then when the whites came to put the fire out the slaves would kill the whites. Afterwards they would gather all the slaves from the plantation and load up onto a ship in the nearby harbor and sail back to Africa. 4A. Why didn’t the plan work? The plan didn’t work because one of the members of the plan had told another black slave who thought it was wrong to kill the whites. That black slave had gone to his master and told him quietly that Denmark was leading a plan to kill the whites and sail back to Africa. His master went quickly to the governor and told him about the slave’s secret plan. 4B. What could he have done to protect his plan more? When Denmark made the members of the plan swear on their lives not to tell a white they should have also told but not to tell any other blacks, which would have prevented the whites from finding out.

5. Question: At first Backus was hesitant about getting involved with the plan but by the end that changes dramatically, explain. In the beginning Backus thought it was wrong to disobey his master when he had treated him well. When Denmark had explained that God had created both of them and they were both equal, Backus realized that it was unfair and wrong what his master was doing to him when they were both the same. In the end Backus had wanted his freedom so badly that he would kill for it.

6. Question: Select any quote you found important in the film and comment on it. When Denmark said to Backus aren’t you just as good since God made us both? Of course, I knew he was right. If God made one black man with two legs, two arms, and one head and made white man with two legs, two arms and one head that would make them both the same. Denmark’s last words was “you showed them how to live like a man let’s show them how to die like a man” I think Denmark meant they shouldn’t show their fear.

7. Question: What are the results of the Denmark, Vessys Revolt. In the end Denmark and one other slave ended up being hung. Denmark showed his bravery and proved to them that it was worth dieing for. 7A. Question: How will this affect masters and salves in the years to come. By, Colleen

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