On this day in 1712, British colonial forces & US state militias crushed a major slave revolt in New York City. They hunted down every rebel slave & sentenced them to death by public execution. Some slaves were burned alive, some hanged, one was kept in chains until he starved. 
Rebel slaves torched several houses of white landowners, then shot & killed 9 white slave holders, hoping to inspire a huge slave uprising. About 20% of New York City's population was enslaved black people, it was one of the largest slave populations of any of England’s colonies.
The colonial government had draconian laws to police black slaves. They required slaves to carry a pass to travel, discouraged marriage among themselves & prohibited gatherings of more than 3 persons.
After the revolt, the city and colony passed even more restrictive laws governing slaves. Slaves committing property damage, rape, or conspiracy to kill would now receive the death penalty.
