Over time, Jamaican slaves progressively resisted their oppressors. Passive resistance included poisoning their masters, destroying property and killing the children of their masters’; active resistance took place through open rebellions and fleeing to the Maroons’ Mountains.
Three classes emerged. The bottom class was black Africans, which was divided between domestic and field slaves. Domestic slaves cared for the houses of their white masters where the field slaves worked under the sun harvesting the crops. Black slaves were deprived of legal rights and humane treatment.
The middle class were poor whites, often British convicts who worked as de facto slaves for up to 10 years. If they were able to survive the ten years, they might rise up in status and be a petty trader or craftsman. The upper class was made up of white British planters and wealthy merchants.
During the 1700’s, the importation of slaves was dependent on the triangular trade and closely linked to sugar. By the beginning of the 19th century, the population more than quadrupled, with blacks consisting of over 90% of the population.
Pressure mounted on the Brits from abolitionists. Minor revolts and protests became a more frequent occurrence towards the end of the 18th century and it was more difficult for London to overlook it. Three Jamaicans were involved in the landslide case in London that saw blacks recognized as free men once they set foot in a free country.
The banning of the slave trade in 1807 was the beginning of the end of formal slavery. Given the momentum of the abolitionist movement, the British planters were no longer able to silence the cries of slaves.
By 1831, slavery was still in full force, although pressure was mounting on the colonial bosses. Reverend Samuel ‘Daddy’ Sharp, a powerful orator, organized a national strike day for slaves on Christmas Day; but, the British found out about it beforehand and prevented it from happening at any cost. The slaves responded with arson and other acts of violence killing 14 whites. The British responded by burning villages and killing 500 blacks. The stress was becoming too much for the British to bear.
Slavery was abolished all together in Jamaica by 1838. It led to construction of Free Villages and an escalation in peasant farming. Although planters feared a mass migration of ex-slaves back to Africa, only ten percent of ex-slaves returned home in the entire Caribbean region.
Legally, Jamaica was now a free country, but little changed in the lives of the ex-slaves. Given workers enhanced freedoms, planters’ profits decreased. Simultaneously, Cuba (one of the last to abolish slavery) began producing more sugar, which cut into Jamaican production and lowered wages.
Given workers limited access to the factors of production, they were still bound to working for the same old boys club at wages determined by the same old planters.
Led by the Black Baptist preacher Paul Bogle and his strong social justice oratory, workers eventually rebelled at Morant Bay in the 1860’s to demand an end to overwork and abuse. Over 1000 black workers were killed in response to the rebellion and this time around, London did hear the dissidents’ pleas.
The next two Governors led the push for Jamaican led development, including changing the capital to Kingston, building a number of schools (which are still used) and improving the water system. They also tried to diversify the economy by producing bananas and Blue Mountain coffee – some of the best coffee in the world.
Three classes emerged. The bottom class was black Africans, which was divided between domestic and field slaves. Domestic slaves cared for the houses of their white masters where the field slaves worked under the sun harvesting the crops. Black slaves were deprived of legal rights and humane treatment.
The middle class were poor whites, often British convicts who worked as de facto slaves for up to 10 years. If they were able to survive the ten years, they might rise up in status and be a petty trader or craftsman. The upper class was made up of white British planters and wealthy merchants.
During the 1700’s, the importation of slaves was dependent on the triangular trade and closely linked to sugar. By the beginning of the 19th century, the population more than quadrupled, with blacks consisting of over 90% of the population.
Pressure mounted on the Brits from abolitionists. Minor revolts and protests became a more frequent occurrence towards the end of the 18th century and it was more difficult for London to overlook it. Three Jamaicans were involved in the landslide case in London that saw blacks recognized as free men once they set foot in a free country.
The banning of the slave trade in 1807 was the beginning of the end of formal slavery. Given the momentum of the abolitionist movement, the British planters were no longer able to silence the cries of slaves.
By 1831, slavery was still in full force, although pressure was mounting on the colonial bosses. Reverend Samuel ‘Daddy’ Sharp, a powerful orator, organized a national strike day for slaves on Christmas Day; but, the British found out about it beforehand and prevented it from happening at any cost. The slaves responded with arson and other acts of violence killing 14 whites. The British responded by burning villages and killing 500 blacks. The stress was becoming too much for the British to bear.
Slavery was abolished all together in Jamaica by 1838. It led to construction of Free Villages and an escalation in peasant farming. Although planters feared a mass migration of ex-slaves back to Africa, only ten percent of ex-slaves returned home in the entire Caribbean region.
Legally, Jamaica was now a free country, but little changed in the lives of the ex-slaves. Given workers enhanced freedoms, planters’ profits decreased. Simultaneously, Cuba (one of the last to abolish slavery) began producing more sugar, which cut into Jamaican production and lowered wages.
Given workers limited access to the factors of production, they were still bound to working for the same old boys club at wages determined by the same old planters.
Led by the Black Baptist preacher Paul Bogle and his strong social justice oratory, workers eventually rebelled at Morant Bay in the 1860’s to demand an end to overwork and abuse. Over 1000 black workers were killed in response to the rebellion and this time around, London did hear the dissidents’ pleas.
The next two Governors led the push for Jamaican led development, including changing the capital to Kingston, building a number of schools (which are still used) and improving the water system. They also tried to diversify the economy by producing bananas and Blue Mountain coffee – some of the best coffee in the world.
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