What was one major consequence of the Stono Rebellion of 1739?

The Stono Rebellion of 1739, one of the largest slave uprisings in the British colonies, had profound implications for the regulation of enslaved individuals. Following the rebellion, which involved enslaved Africans rising up against their masters in South Carolina with the aim of escaping to Spanish Florida, colonial authorities responded with increased fears of further uprisings. This led to the implementation of stricter laws to control enslaved populations, aimed at preventing such rebellions in the future.

As a result, specific measures such as the Negro Act of 1740 were enacted, which imposed harsher restrictions on the movements, education, and assembly of enslaved people. These regulations were intended to curb their ability to organize or revolt, reflecting the heightened anxieties of white colonists regarding their control over enslaved laborers.

While other developments occurred in the colonial response to slavery during this period, such as calls for abolition, none were as directly consequence-driven as the immediate and drastic policy changes following the Stono Rebellion. Thus, the increase in regulations and harsher laws on enslaved people is a direct consequence of the fear and societal unrest that the rebellion incited.