Spanish Florida offered freedom to enslaved people who escaped British colonies and converted to Catholicism, which led to the founding of Fort Mose, the first sanctioned free Black town in what is now the United States, and helped inspire the Stono Rebellion of 1739. After the rebellion, South Carolina passed a harsh slave code in 1740, and British forces invaded Florida and destroyed Fort Mose.
Why This Matters for the AP African American Studies Exam
This topic shows cause and effect in early Black resistance. You can use it to explain how the promise of freedom in Spanish Florida pulled enslaved people away from British colonies, how that pull shaped an organized uprising, and how enslavers responded with tighter laws and military force. That kind of causation and reaction is exactly the analysis the AP African American Studies exam rewards.
You can also practice source analysis here. The required documents (the account of the Stono Rebellion and the Spanish king's offer of safe passage) let you compare a British colonial perspective with a Spanish one and read for point of view, purpose, and bias.
Key Takeaways
- St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of African American and European origin in what is now the United States, and it offered asylum to enslaved refugees who converted to Catholicism.
- Fort Mose, established in 1738 under Francisco Menéndez, was the first sanctioned free Black town in what is now the United States.
- Spanish Florida's offer of emancipation to people fleeing British colonies helped inspire the Stono Rebellion in 1739.
- Jemmy, an enslaved man from the Angola region, led nearly 100 enslaved people who burned plantations and marched toward Spanish Florida; many were from the Kingdom of Kongo and were Portuguese speakers familiar with Catholicism.
- South Carolina responded with a restrictive 1740 slave code, and British forces then invaded Florida and destroyed Fort Mose.
Spanish Florida as a Place of Asylum
St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of African American and European origin in what is now the United States. Starting in the seventeenth century, enslaved refugees escaping Georgia and the Carolinas fled there for asylum. Spanish Florida offered freedom to enslaved people who converted to Catholicism, so the town became a destination for people fleeing British enslavement.
This asylum policy was not just generous. It also served Spain's interests by weakening British colonies next door and adding people who could help defend Spanish territory.
Fort Mose: The First Sanctioned Free Black Town
In 1738, the governor of Spanish Florida established a fortified settlement led by Francisco Menéndez, an enslaved Senegambian who had fought against the English in the Yamasee War and found refuge in St. Augustine. The settlement, Fort Mose, was the first sanctioned free Black town in what is now the United States. Its full name was Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose.
Keep in mind that the names of African-born leaders like Francisco Menéndez and Jemmy reflect names they acquired as enslaved people in Spanish and British colonies, not their birth names.
The Stono Rebellion (1739)
Spanish Florida's offer of emancipation to people fleeing British colonies helped inspire the Stono Rebellion in South Carolina in 1739. Jemmy, an enslaved man from the Angola region, led nearly 100 enslaved people who set fire to plantations and marched toward sanctuary in Spanish Florida.
Many participants were from the Kingdom of Kongo (present-day Angola). They were Portuguese speakers familiar with Catholicism, which connects to why Spanish Florida's Catholic asylum policy appealed to them. This detail matters because it shows how the cultural and religious backgrounds of specific African groups shaped resistance.
British Response
In response to the Stono Rebellion, the British province of South Carolina passed a restrictive slave code in 1740. This code aimed to limit the movement and gathering of enslaved people and prevent future uprisings. (For more on what that 1740 code banned, that connects to Topic 2.7 on slave codes and American law.)
One month later, British colonial forces invaded Florida and eventually seized and destroyed Fort Mose. Even so, the example of Fort Mose and Spanish Florida's asylum policy continued to shape how enslaved people imagined and pursued freedom.
Required Sources
Account of the Stono Rebellion from the Colonial Records of South Carolina, 1739
This account is a British colonial record of the uprising. It describes how the Spanish offer of "Protection and Freedom" at St. Augustine drew enslaved people away from South Carolina and frames the rebellion from the enslavers' point of view. When you read it, notice that the source treats the Spanish asylum policy as a threat, which tells you about the author's purpose and bias.
"Sometime since there was a Proclamation published at Augustine ... promised Protection and Freedom to all Negroes Slaves that would resort thither. Certain Negroes ... escaped to Augustine, and were received there. ... The Governour ... showed his Orders from the Court of Spain, by which he was to receive all Run away Negroes. ... Other Negroes ... ran away ... They reached Augustine ... They were received there with great honours ... The good reception of the Negroes at Augustine was spread about, Several attempted to escape to the Spaniards ... In the latter end of July last Don Pedro, Colonel of the Spanish Horse, went ... to Charles Town under pretence of a message to General Oglethorpe and the Lieutenant Governour."
Announcement and Safe Passage to Spanish Territory by the King of Spain, 1733
This document records the Spanish crown's official offer of freedom and safe passage to enslaved people who fled British colonies for Spanish territory. Reading it alongside the South Carolina account lets you compare two colonial powers with very different motives: Spain used the promise of freedom as policy, while British South Carolina saw that same promise as a danger to control.
How to Use This on the AP African American Studies Exam
Using Sources Effectively
Practice comparing the two required sources for point of view and purpose. The South Carolina account is written by enslavers worried about losing control; the Spanish safe-passage announcement is an official offer designed to attract people away from British colonies. Ask who created each source, why, and what each one reveals about colonial rivalry.
Causation
Be ready to trace the chain: Spanish asylum and Fort Mose created a real destination for freedom, which helped inspire the Stono Rebellion, which led to the 1740 slave code and the attack on Fort Mose. Strong responses connect these events instead of listing them.
Common Trap
Do not stop at "the Stono Rebellion happened." Explain why it happened (the pull of Spanish Florida's freedom offer) and what changed because of it (harsher laws and the destruction of Fort Mose).
Common Misconceptions
- Fort Mose was not a hidden runaway camp. It was a sanctioned free Black town established with the permission of the governor of Spanish Florida.
- Spain did not offer asylum purely out of kindness. The policy weakened British colonies and gave Spain defenders for its territory, so freedom and strategy went together.
- The Stono rebels were not a random group. Many were from the Kingdom of Kongo, were Portuguese speakers, and were familiar with Catholicism, which connects to why Catholic Spanish Florida appealed to them.
- The destruction of Fort Mose did not erase its importance. Its example continued to shape how enslaved people pursued freedom.
- Names like Francisco Menéndez and Jemmy were names these leaders acquired under enslavement, not their original African names.
Related AP African American Studies Guides
- 2.9 Creating African American Culture
- 2.12 Legacies of the Haitian Revolution
- 2.5 Slave Auctions and the Domestic Slave Trade
- 2.8 The Social Construction of Race and the Reproduction of Status
- 2.13 Resistance and Revolts in the United States
- 2.4 African Resistance on Slave Ships and the Antislavery Movement
Vocabulary
The following words are mentioned explicitly in the College Board Course and Exam Description for this topic.Term | Definition |
|---|---|
asylum | A place of refuge or sanctuary where people seek protection and safety from persecution or danger. |
Catholicism | The Christian faith practiced by the Spanish colonial authorities; conversion to Catholicism was a condition for enslaved people to gain freedom in Spanish Florida. |
emancipation | The act of freeing enslaved people from bondage and slavery. |
Fort Mose | A fortified settlement established in 1738 in Spanish Florida under the leadership of Francisco Menéndez; the first sanctioned free Black town in what is now the United States. |
Kingdom of Kongo | A West Central African state that established political and religious ties with Portugal in the late 15th century and became a major participant in the transatlantic slave trade. |
slave code | A set of laws enacted to regulate the treatment, control, and status of enslaved people; South Carolina passed a restrictive slave code in 1740 in response to the Stono Rebellion. |
Spanish Florida | The Spanish colonial territory in Florida that offered freedom and refuge to enslaved people fleeing British colonies in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. |
St. Augustine | The oldest continuously occupied settlement of African American and European origin in the United States, founded in 1565 in Spanish Florida. |
Stono Rebellion | An uprising in 1739 in South Carolina led by enslaved African Americans, including an enslaved man named Jemmy, who sought to reach sanctuary in Spanish Florida. |
Yamasee War | A conflict in which Francisco Menéndez, an enslaved Senegambian, fought against the English before finding refuge in St. Augustine. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Fort Mose?
Fort Mose was the first sanctioned free Black town in what is now the United States, established in Spanish Florida in 1738 under Francisco Menéndez.
Why did Spanish Florida offer asylum to enslaved people?
Spanish Florida offered freedom to enslaved people who escaped British colonies and converted to Catholicism, partly to weaken British colonies and strengthen Spanish defense.
What caused the Stono Rebellion?
Spanish Florida's asylum policy helped inspire enslaved people in South Carolina to seek freedom by moving toward Spanish territory in 1739.
Who was Jemmy in the Stono Rebellion?
Jemmy was an enslaved man from the Angola region who led nearly 100 enslaved people in the 1739 Stono Rebellion.
How did South Carolina respond to the Stono Rebellion?
South Carolina passed a restrictive slave code in 1740 that limited movement, gathering, and autonomy among enslaved people.
How should I use Stono and Fort Mose on the AP African American Studies exam?
Use them to explain causation, resistance, colonial rivalry, required-source point of view, and how promises of freedom shaped choices by enslaved people.