Runaway slaves were disorganized, confused, and didn’t know how to build their own
socieĆźes. They therefore copied European society as best as they could. A perfect
example of this is Palmares in colonial Brazil. As one primary source states: “They
imitate everything found in a republic.” The source elaborates that Palmares had its
own fake “king” and a supposedly ChrisƟan church that performed marriages, but
these were not true or real. Unsurprisingly, living in such a false society, social
problems were everywhere. As the source states: “Lust is the rule for selecƟon of
mates, and each has the women he desires.” With men so out of control, the society
must have been hell for women. But not only for women; rather, Palmares “wreaked
havoc on life, honor, and possessions.” The whole thing was senseless. As one
eyewitness observer remarked, “With so much imaginaƟon, they felt more secure
where they could be more at risk.” In other words, they would have been beƩer off
back on the plantaĆźon where they belonged.