Charleston County Public Library

Pyrophobia, Euro-American fear of slaves and fire in Charleston, South Carolina, 1820-1860, by Stacy Groening

eng

"During the antebellum era, slaves constituted a majority of the population in Charleston. While politically powerless, slaves still had some influence over the society in which they lived. Resistance to slavery was one way to assert such influence. This thesis looks at Euro-South Carolinians' ideas about and attempts to control the use of fire as a means of slave resistance. While it is hard to know how often slaves intentionally used fire as a weapon, this thesis illustrates that the threat of fire produced pervasive fear. Through a survey of laws, newspapers, and personal correspondence this fear and its impact can be seen, allowing historians to consider how slaves helped to shape Charleston and South Carolina through the constant threat of resistance. Euro-Charlestonians limited their own lives and adjusting [sic] their laws in an attempt to minimize the damage slave[s] could cause through fire and alleviate their pyrophobia."--Leaf ii

Includes bibliographical references

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Calgary, 2009.

Pyrophobia

by Stacy Groening

Euro-American fear of slaves and fire in Charleston, South Carolina, 1820-1860

Introduction -- The development of Charleston's slave society -- The tension among security, personal freedom, and the law -- Fear and fire: a case study of popular media in Charleston -- Conclusion

Euro-American fear of slaves and fire in Charleston, South Carolina, 1820-1860