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History of jamaican slavery
The history of slavery in jamaica
History of jamaican slavery
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The History of Jamaican Maroons
European colonialism in the Caribbean was dependent upon the use of African slaves as a major source of labor. Inevitably, some of these slaves escaped and formed isolated communities that allowed them to live outside the white-dominated plantation societies that were the norm of the time. These escaped slaves were given the name "Maroon", possibly originating from the term marronage, or slave revolt. These Maroon communities existed in many different areas in the Caribbean, but none were more famous and successful that those of Jamaica. Jamaican Maroons fought the British government for nearly a hundred years beginning from the time of the British occupation of the island and lasting until the 1740’s when the British finally sued for peace with the leaders of these rebel bands. By using guerilla tactics and relying on information and assistance from slaves within the colonial communities, the Maroons were able to engage the British in a conflict for freedom that was not only successful, but also a testament to the resourcefulness and ability of these African warriors. What were the factors that led to the successful campaigns against the British? How were the Jamaican Maroons able to continue their fight in the face of overwhelming man and firepower? Two distinct Maroon societies emerged in Jamaica, both having their own system of leadership and ways of dealing with outside settlements. While the fact remains that both these factions came from the same background of slavery, their differences are both interesting and varied and deserving of a closer look.
The earliest Maroons were remnants of the Spanish slaves that were not exported from the island after the defeat and subsequent occupation ...
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...t the physical well –being of slaves. If they die, new ones are simply brought in to replace them. The final condition is that of a lack of cohesion among the white ruling class due to a lack of white female presence. The female (and thus family) situation had no opportunity to establish itself because of the lack of white women in Jamaica. This led to an increased ambivalence on the part of most of the white population towards itself.
These seven conditions help us understand the ways that a revolt by slaves in Jamaica could and did succeed. The Maroons were a very successful, highly adapted group of runaway slaves that fought for their freedom and achieved it. The two distinct Maroon societies found ways to survive and prosper under difficult and overwhelmingly hostile conditions. The fact that the succeeded is a testament to their pride, ability and commitment.
Though many conflicts flared in Martinique and Guadeloupe a few years prior, they were not as well coordinated and massive. Not expecting so many to come and attack at once, the white planters were overwhelmed. A fifty-thousand French force of experienced soldiers arrives on the shores of Saint-Domingue. Not ready to give up their freedom and return to their previous servitude, the Africans of the colony defend themselves.
Petite maroonage occurred when a slave often in a large sugar plantation would runaway for period of days. The slave running away may have been triggered to leave by a particularly brutal beating, the sale of spouse or children, or some unbearable humiliation. Grand maroonage occurred when the slave did not return but instead stayed in a maroon community of other runaway slaves. Grand maroonage was a central feature of Cuban slavery and resulted in the formation of palenques or cumbes. 4 However creating and maintain a maroon community free of colonial interference was very difficult. Colonies would often enlist the help of maroons to put down slave revolts in exchange for their freedom to live in their community without threat of a colonial intervention. Asserting the quote by journalist Jerry Pournelle “Freedom is Not
In the novel, the author proposes that the African American female slave’s need to overcome three obstacles was what unavoidably separated her from the rest of society; she was black, female, and a slave, in a white male dominating society. The novel “locates black women at the intersection of racial and sexual ideologies and politics (12).” White begins by illustrating the Europeans’ two major stereotypes o...
A recurring theme in, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, is Harriet Jacobs's reflections on what slavery meant to her as well as all women in bondage. Continuously, Jacobs expresses her deep hatred of slavery, and all of its implications. She dreads such an institution so much that she sometimes regards death as a better alternative than a life in bondage. For Harriet, slavery was different than many African Americans. She did not spend her life harvesting cotton on a large plantation. She was not flogged and beaten regularly like many slaves. She was not actively kept from illiteracy. Actually, Harriet always was treated relatively well. She performed most of her work inside and was rarely ever punished, at the request of her licentious master. Furthermore, she was taught to read and sew, and to perform other tasks associated with a ?ladies? work. Outwardly, it appeared that Harriet had it pretty good, in light of what many slaves had succumbed to. However, Ironically Harriet believes these fortunes were actually her curse. The fact that she was well kept and light skinned as well as being attractive lead to her victimization as a sexual object. Consequently, Harriet became a prospective concubine for Dr. Norcom. She points out that life under slavery was as bad as any slave could hope for. Harriet talks about her life as slave by saying, ?You never knew what it is to be a slave; to be entirely unprotected by law or custom; to have the laws reduce you to the condition of chattel, entirely subject to the will of another.? (Jacobs p. 55).
In Laboring Women by Jennifer Morgan, the author talks about the transformations African Women suffer as they become slaves in America. The author explains how their race, gender and even their reproduction of African women became very important in the sex/gender system. She explains the differences of European, African and Creole and how their role was fit and fix in the sex/gender system in regards of production, body and kinship. Morgan explains the correlation of race and reproduction as well as how this affected the Atlantic World. She also explains the differences between whites and blacks and how they experience reproduction differently. Morgan also elaborates on how sex is a sexual disclosure. This gave us the conclusion on how the ideologies of race and reproduction are central to the organization of slavery.
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution officially prohibited slavery and all its forms on the 6th December 1865. The United States will soon mark 150 years since the abolishment of its “peculiar institution”, and yet, historians are still struggling to establish a collective version of the events that led to its development and continued significance throughout the 18th and 19th centuries . As a result of this, the study of slavery has produced one of the richest and most varied historiographies in all of American history. Walter Rucker’s The River Flows On: Black Resistance, Culture, and Identity Formation in Early America’s unique contribution to this existing literature, in my opinion, means it should be widely read by scholars and students alike.
"The Rastafarians emerge as a loosely organized inspirational group (or groups?) of men and women concerned at the plight of black people, especially the plight of those whose ancestors were forcibly removed from Africa to become the slaves of the white man on his plantations in the islands of the Caribbean"(Cashmore, 1). The English takeover of Jamaica in 1660 started the terrible beginning of the African Diaspora. Millions of Africans were stolen off of their continent and were shipped over to the Caribbean where they were fashioned to do slave labor so the Europeans could make money. Over 80 million Africans died in the process of departing to the islands. The slaves were denied any form of religion and were treated like animals. They were also denied food and were made to grow their own food so they could feed themselves. Many years went by till the slaves started to rebel. The 'Maroons' were a group of runaway slaves who started a powerful group of guerrilla warriors who lived in the most dangerous woods in Jamaica. But the Maroons gave in and signed a peace treaty in 1738 and were paid to catch the runaway slaves and became supporters of slavery.
[Slaves] seemed to think that the greatness of their master was transferable to themselves” (Douglass 867). Consequently, slaves start to identify with their master rather than with other slaves by becoming prejudiced of other slaves whose masters were not as wealthy or as nice as theirs, thereby falling into the traps of the white in which slaves start to lose their
The controversy began around 1972 and shaped off after 1980.After many years of subjugation, it seemed irrational to evaluate blacks by the same standards as whites. In 1990s there was renaissance of the discussion which led to the USA Supreme Court's verdict in 2003 to uphold definite types of affirmative action. The first debates involved gender and racial inclinations since affirmative action was mostly about the factory, corporate and college grounds. Later the controversy became all about ethnicity and race. This is because at the start of the 21st century African-Americans and Hispanics needed help in admission to certain colleges. The fundamental principle of affirmative action was fairness. Examples of affirmative action presented by the United States Department of Labor con...
Affirmative Action is the policies that have been introduced to provide equal opportunities to people who have been historically excluded. The action is implemented by providing equal access to education, salary, employment and respect to the group such as women and minorities. The policies were introduced in 1960’s during the civil rights movement in the belief of providing equal rights to the group that has been ruled out by the society. In 1961 President Kennedy was the first to use the term “Affirmative Action” to make sure that all employees are treated in the same manner without discriminating them with their race, color, and national origin. The main reason to establish affirmative action is to increase the employment opportunities and
Effective communication is a key principle for developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults. By ensuring that communication is effective it provides clarity on what behaviour is expected and a clear understanding of the tasks. In providing this children and young people will feel they are able to join in and it also provides positive experiences in variety of situations. The result is children will feel more at ease within the school setting and with those around them. By listening to what a child, young person or adult has to say a sense of value and self-worth can be achieved, which forms another factor in developing positive relationships, trust.
Affirmative action creates reverse discrimination upon the opposite races. Ever since the civil war of the 1860s and the civil rights movement of the 1960s in which minorities in The United States of America, who majority are composed of African Americans and Women who were refused the opportunity’s to use public services such as public schools and certain Employment opportunities like promotions. The government of the United States has tried to restore equality and balance the society of this country by passing certain policies that would make those who were denied certain opportunities in the past bad times so they would not be left behind in struggle and failure. Affirmative Action was one of these policies. It was first used by President John F. Kennedy In his effort to restore equality of the country...
The roots of affirmative action may be traced back to the early 1960’s, during the Civil Rights Movement. It was in 1961 that President John F. Kennedy issued an Executive Order that first introduced affirmative action. This order included an establishment that government contractors “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated fairly during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.” (University of California Irvine) Over the years, there have been many adjustments to affirmative action, but they all reiterated the same general idea. This idea is that there would be equal opportunity for all qualified persons, and to take positive actions in order to ensure there would be equal opportunity for all. (University of California Irvine) Affirmative action has been successful, it has increased the number of recruiting and screening practices by employers, raised employers’ inclination to hire denounced applicants, increased the number of minority or female applicants and employees, and it increased the likelihood that employers will provide training and evaluate the...
According to Robert Chrisman, The term affirmative action was brought into to our attention by President John F. Kennedy,in 1981, while giving his Executive Order 10925. In this order Kennedy called for a massive increase in minority populations in the workforce, this call was made prior to the passage of the Civil Rights legislation, which later furthered the idea of affirmative action in the late 1960’s.(Chrisman,p.71) According to the term Affirmative action was introduced by President Lyndon Johnson in his Executive Order 11246 in 1965. Johnsons order stated that applicants and employed are treated the same without regard to their race , color, religion, sex, or national origin(Tatum, p.117). Although there were many sources who disagree upon the origins of this term, we do know that is was introduced by the U.S. Federal Government as a means to create equal opportunity for historically disadvantaged populations. The targeted groups included: white women, men and women of color (defined by the U.s. Government as American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians. Pacific Islanders,Blacks and Hispanics). (Tatum, p.117) In the !970’s legislation was passed to include people with disabilities and Veterans. Specific plans for affirmative actions were not defined by Executive Order 1124, which left room for interpretation throughout the country.(Tatum, p.117)
Conditions in Jamaica in the 1860's In the 1860's the conditions in Jamaica were very bad. The small farmers and plantation owners were affected by drought. The small farms also had to pay greater taxes and were only allowed to farm poor soil because no one would sell fertile land to black people. They were victims of injustice from the government and planters. A petition was sent to Queen Victoria in Britain because of the amount of protests.