The Empire of Necessity
Slavery, Freedom, and Deception in the New World
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4157204 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jason Young (0000-0001-5521-4813, University of Michigan, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2017 |
| Volume | 104 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 483-483 |
| Publication date | 2017-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of American History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0021-8723 • E-ISSN: 1945-2314 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/jahist/jax200 |
| OpenAlex | W2746800382 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
In 1804, one year after Haiti declared its independence from France, another—much smaller—slave rebellion occurred on the South Pacific Ocean. Traveling off the coast of Chile, the slave ship Tryal was heading to South American slave markets when the captives rose up, dispatched most of the crew, and took control of the ship. The rebels demanded to be taken to any “negro country” in the region, but rather than steer the rebels to Haiti, Capt. Benito Cerenño took the boat on a meandering tour over open waters while promising an imminent return to Senegal. When the Tryal was spotted by another ship, the Perseverance, the rebels devised a fantastic ruse. In allowing the captain of the Perseverance to board and resupply the Tryal, the rebels continued to play the part of slaves while conscripting Cerenño to remain the quixotic captain. In so doing, the rebels disguised the rebellion in a theatrical display that lasted until the charade came crashing down in Cerenño's dramatic escape attempt. News of the incident shocked many and subsequently inspired Herman Melville to write the critically acclaimed Benito Cereno (1855
Ancient history · Archaeology · Crew · Deception · Empire · Independence (probability theory · Political science · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · Cuban History and Society · History · Law
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.11 |
| Citation span | 2017 - 2017 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |