Why Was The Negro Plot Of 1741 Considered A Witch Hunt?

In 1741 a series of thirteen fires broke out in the streets of New York as part of a conspiracy plot for slaves to gain their freedom back. An investigation by the supreme court looked into the matter, what resulted in over one hundred slaves being captured and interrogated and in fear for their lives they used scapegoats to try and save themselves what only fuelled the fire of the witch hunt for those who were actually responsible.

The Negro plot of 1741 was an example of a witch hunt because it caused mass hysteria within the white community and also because the slaves convicted of being a part of the conspiracy used scapegoats to try and save their own lives.

One of the reasons The Negro Plot of 1741 is considered a witch hunt is because during the investigation of the fires, white people in the community were afraid that the slaves were trying to fight back in order to gain their freedom back, which caused a lot of negative emotions to stir within the community causing vigilantes to take the law into their own hands.

Soon A discontented Spanish Negro came under strong suspicion on April 6, when four new fires broke out and the cry of “ Take up the Spanish Negros “( Linder ) echoed the streets of New York. Vigilante soon rounded up five Spanish negros and escorted them off to the courthouse to be interrogated by the

After all of this was said and done, Burton said “Hughson was to be king, and Caesar governor”(Linder). Then in early June, six more black slaves were convicted and condemned to die in connection with the arsons. One of the condemned slaves named Jack, offered to tell the judges everything he knows about the conspiracy if they would only spare his life. Jake’s confession depicted a large meeting of Negroes in February at the home of his master, Gerardus