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Difficulty: HardMaroon Societies and Flight from Enslavement

The following is an excerpt from a runaway notice published in the *Virginia Gazette* in 1772:

"Run away from the subscriber's plantation... two Negro men, named Billy and Silas... They are supposed to have fled to the borders of the Great Dismal Swamp, where it is known that many runaways have harbored for years, constructing hidden habitations, subsistence farming, and trading with free persons of color. They have joined a large body of these people who are reported to be well armed and determined to defend their liberty."

Based on the excerpt and your knowledge of history, which of the following best analyzes the significance of the community described in the Great Dismal Swamp?

  1. It illustrates the practice of grand maroonage in North America, where self-emancipated individuals established enduring, semi-autonomous communities in geographically remote areas to maintain long-term independence.Answer
  2. B
    It demonstrates a typical case of petit maroonage, where individuals temporarily withdrew to nearby areas to negotiate better labor terms before returning to their plantations.
  3. C
    It serves as a primary example of covert resistance, as the runaways relied entirely on passive resistance techniques like work slowdowns and feigning illness rather than physical flight or active defense.
  4. D
    It represents the immediate aftermath of Nat Turner's rebellion, showcasing how his followers organized the first armed resistance network in the American South.

Answer

The correct answer states that the community in the Great Dismal Swamp illustrates the practice of grand maroonage, where self-emancipated individuals established enduring, semi-autonomous communities in remote areas to maintain long-term independence.
The community in the Great Dismal Swamp represents grand maroonage. Unlike petit maroonage, which involves temporary flight, grand maroonage refers to the creation of permanent or semi-permanent, independent settlements in remote areas (such as swamps, mountains, or dense forests) where self-emancipated people could live autonomously and defend themselves.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary source text for details about the nature of the runaway settlement.
The source describes a long-lasting ('harbored for years'), organized ('constructing hidden habitations, subsistence farming, and trading'), and armed ('well armed and determined to defend') community of self-emancipated individuals.
Identifying these features helps determine whether the flight represents a temporary or permanent attempt to build an independent society.
2
Differentiate between the historical concepts of petit maroonage, grand maroonage, covert resistance, and overt rebellions.
Grand maroonage refers to permanent settlements like the one described. Petit maroonage is temporary. Covert resistance involves subtle daily actions, not armed flight. The timeline must also be checked to rule out later 19th-century rebellions.
This allows the student to match the characteristics of the Great Dismal Swamp community with the correct historical terminology and context.
3
Select the option that correctly identifies the Great Dismal Swamp settlement as an example of grand maroonage and accurately defines its characteristics.
The option identifying it as grand maroonage and highlighting the establishment of enduring, semi-autonomous communities is the correct response.
This completes the conceptual alignment and avoids the common chronological and structural misconceptions.

Key Concept

The distinction between grand maroonage (permanent, independent communities) and petit maroonage (temporary flight), as exemplified by communities in remote geographic areas like the Great Dismal Swamp.
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Topics

Maroon Societies and Flight from Enslavement

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