1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Hey everyone, it's Eaves. Just wanted to let you know 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: that you'll be hearing an episode from me and an 3 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: episode from Tracy V. Wilson today. I hope you enjoyed 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: the show. Welcome to this Day in History Class from 5 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: how Stuff Works dot com and from the desk of 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: Stuff you missed in History Class. It's the show where 7 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 1: we explore the past one day at a time with 8 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: a quick look at what happened today in history. Hello, 9 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Tracy V. Wilson and 10 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: it's November. The St. John Slave Insurrection began on this 11 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: day in seventeen thirty three, making it one of the 12 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: first of many slave insurrections in the Caribbean. Denmark had 13 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: colonized the island of St. John in seventeen eighteen. Unlike 14 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: other European colonies in the Caribbean, the main purpose was 15 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: the very lucrative sugar industry. This industry was also brutal 16 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: and dangerous in terms of its working conditions, and it 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: was devastating both to the enslaved African workforce and to 18 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: the islands indigenous peoples. Although by the time the Danish 19 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: colonized St. John, there weren't any indigenous people known to 20 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: be living there due to earlier activity on the island. 21 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 1: By seventeen thirty three, there were more than a thousand 22 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: enslaved Africans on the island of St. John, working on 23 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: more than a hundred plantations that grew sugar, cotton, and 24 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: other crops. The months leading up to this insurrection had 25 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: been particularly difficult. The island had been struck by a drought, 26 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: and then two hurricanes had followed during the summer, which 27 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: destroyed a lot of the crops that had managed to 28 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: survive that drought. There was also an insect plague, and 29 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: like most of the other islands where chattel slavery was 30 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: being practiced, St John had an enslaved population that vastly 31 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: outnumbered the white population, and it also had an increasing 32 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: population of people known as maroons. These were enslaved people 33 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: who escaped into uncultivated parts of the island and made 34 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: their homes there. A slave code was passed in seventeen 35 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: thirty three that was extremely strict, and it was meant 36 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: to cut down on how many people were able to 37 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: do this. There were severe punishments for escaping or even 38 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: thinking about escaping, as was usually the case. The people 39 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: enslaved on St. John were from a number of different 40 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: African tribes and nations, all of them with their own 41 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: histories and languages and cultures. The people who launched this 42 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: insurrection were Aquamus from what's now Ghana, and all of 43 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: the people who participated in the insurrection were all part 44 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: of this particular group. Their goal wasn't to liberate the 45 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: entire island, though, it was to take power from the Danish, 46 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: so on the night of November twenty three, they gained 47 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: access to the fort at Coral Bay by delivering firewood, 48 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: but concealed in these bundles of wood were cane knives. 49 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: They used these knives to kill most of the soldiers 50 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: on duty, many of whom were asleep, and they fired 51 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: a cannon as a signal for the wider insurrection to begin. 52 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: They also used drum signals to communicate during this as well. 53 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: Over the next six months, about a quarter of the 54 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: island's entire population was killed, including many other enslaved people 55 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: who resisted The Aquamuse primarily fought with knives, and they 56 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: also damaged and destroyed the islands plantations. Denmark sought help 57 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,399 Speaker 1: from other nations to try to put down this insurrection, 58 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: including Britain and France, who also had colonies and forces nearby. 59 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,839 Speaker 1: After a major defeat of the Aquamu force in May 60 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: of the following year, the Danish force regained control of 61 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: the island. In August, the European forces slaughtered the rebelling Africans, 62 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: some of whom took their own lives rather than being 63 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:51,839 Speaker 1: captured or killed. Although the damage was extensive, the plantations 64 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: were very quickly rebuilt, and within a few years Saint 65 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: John had an even larger enslaved population than it had 66 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: had before. Denmark abolished slavery in its Caribbean colonies in 67 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: eighteen eight and St. John is now United States territory, 68 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: having been sold to the United States along with the 69 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: islands of St. Croyan St. Thomas in nineteen seventeen. Today 70 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: they are the US Virgin Islands, although the islands of 71 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: residents do not have the right to vote for president 72 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: or members of Congress. Thanks to Christopher Hasciotis for his 73 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: research work on today's episode, Anti Casey Pigraham and Chandler 74 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: Mayze for their audio work on the show. You can 75 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: subscribe to the Day in History Class on Apple Podcasts, 76 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: Google Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcast. You 77 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 1: can tune in tomorrow for a famous disappearance with a 78 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: lot of money. Hi everyone, I'm Eves and welcome to 79 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class, a podcast where we dust 80 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: off a little piece of history and place it ever 81 00:04:52,640 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: so gently on your brainshelf every day. The day was 82 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: November twenty three, eighteen eighty three. J Clemente Rosco was 83 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: born to Arnio Rosco and Rosa Flores in Zapotan, El Grande, Mexico. 84 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,359 Speaker 1: Now see you dot Gusman Odosko went on to become 85 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: a renowned caricaturist and painter, known for his Fresco murals. 86 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: Odosko's family moved to Guadalajara in eighteen eighty six, and 87 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: by eighteen eighty eight they had made their way to 88 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: Mexico City. His passion for art blossomed there as he 89 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: admired the art in the workshop of hot Guadalupe Posada, 90 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: a printmaker whose work included political and social commentary. As 91 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: he passed the workshop on his way to and from school, 92 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: he became fascinated by the style of Posada's illustrations. Orosco 93 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: studied art in Mexico City, taking classes at the San 94 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: Carlos Academy of Fine Arts. By eight his parents had 95 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: sent him to the country to study agriculture for pragmatic reasons. 96 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: He studied at the School of Agriculture in San Jacinto 97 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: and attended the National Preparatory School with the intent of 98 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: studying architecture later. But in nineteen o three, his father 99 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 1: died of typhus, so Autosko began working to support his 100 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: mother and siblings and pay his way through college. He 101 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: took a job as an architectural draftsman in hand tinted 102 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: post mortem portraits. He wasn't as passionate about agriculture, math, 103 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,799 Speaker 1: and architecture as he was about painting. Autosko also entered 104 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: his eye and lost his left hand in an accidental explosion, 105 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: so he began studying art again at the San Carlos Academy. 106 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: By nineteen tent otos Ko's artwork was getting attention. That year, 107 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: some of his drawings got recognition at an exhibition commemorating 108 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: the centenary of Mexican independence from Spain. The Mexican Revolution, 109 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 1: which was unfolding around this time, affected his artistic viewpoint 110 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 1: opposition to the regime of President port Felodias for read 111 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: and political and social turmoil escalated as power changed hands. 112 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: Otos Called participated in a student strike and he began 113 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: creating illustrations for radical newspapers. He painted with black and 114 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: what he said were quote the colors exiled from Impressionist palettes. 115 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: He depicted locals who went to the bars and brothels 116 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: in his neighborhood. Informed by the context of the Mexican 117 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: Revolution and the culture of Mexico City, he emphasized injustice 118 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: and corruption. One of the artists who influenced his work 119 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: was Julio Rueleis, a Mexican symbolist who created dark, hallucinatory 120 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: images of mythological characters, the subconscious, and his own tormented face. 121 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: While in Ordi Saba, working for the revolutionary newspaper lavevan Guardia, 122 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: he met David Alfado Cicados and Diego Rivera, who, along 123 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: with him, would later be known as the Big Three 124 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: in Mexican muralism. Dr Atu, also known as Harrado Mario, 125 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: edited La ban Guardia. Doctor Atl had met Arosco at 126 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: the San Carlos Academy years earlier and inspired him to 127 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: embrace Mexican themes in his art. After his solo exhibition 128 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: House of Tears received a lot of negative criticism, he 129 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: turned to the US to find new opportunities. He got 130 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: to the US in nineteen seventeen, where customs took a 131 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: lot of his paintings because they were deemed indecent. After 132 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: spending two years in the States working on his art, 133 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: he returned to Mexico. His career in muralism began in 134 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty three when he started painting his first murals 135 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: at the National Preparatory School in Mexico City. Cicados and 136 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: Rivera were also doing murals here. This same year, Arosco 137 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: married Margharita via Dads and helped found the Union of 138 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: Revolutionary Painters, Sculptors and Engravers. As he completed more murals, 139 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: his work received more praise and international attention. In NT seven, 140 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: he went back to the U s where he found 141 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: inspiration in the artwork of European artists like Francisco Goya 142 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: and was influenced by the impact of the Great Depression. 143 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: He stayed in the US until nineteen thirty four. The 144 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: Epic of American Civilization, a cycle of murals that he 145 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: completed at Dartmouth College, was a highlight of his art 146 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: career in the US. Otosco went back to Mexico after 147 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: he left the US, and he stayed there throughout most 148 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: of the nineteen forties, constantly adding to his already robust 149 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: body of work by creating new murals exhibiting his idealistic 150 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: and pessimistic perspectives. He painted murals in the Palace of 151 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: Five Arts in Mexico City, the University of Guadalajara, the 152 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: Governor's Palace, the Auspicio Cabanas, and the Palace of Justice 153 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: in Mexico City, among other locations. He also created smaller 154 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 1: works like engravings, diaesel paintings, and portrait He continued to 155 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 1: work on frescoes until he died of heart failure at 156 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: the age of sixty five. Even though he faced censorship 157 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,959 Speaker 1: and financial struggles, he played a key role in invigorating 158 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: the public arts movement and has been honored for exposing 159 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: Mexican art to a wider international audience. I'm Eves Jeffco 160 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know a little more about history today 161 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. No any fellow history buffs who 162 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: would enjoy the show you can share it with them. 163 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 1: We're on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t d i 164 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: h C Podcast, and you can send your thoughts are 165 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: comments to us at This Day at I heart media 166 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: dot com. We're here every day, so you know where 167 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: to find us by