The English arrived on the island of Jamaica in 1655 and they immediately challenged the Spanish for the lands. The island was invaded by soldiers led by admiral Penn and general Venables. The Spanish surrendered and Jamaica became a British colony.
The British brought Africans, Chinese, Indians, Germans and Jews slaves to the islands. In 1657 there was the last stand by Spanish under Don Cristobal Arnaldo de Ysassi (the last Governor of Jamaica) and Colonel D. Oyley at Rio Nuevo, St. Mary. The British defeated the Spanish, this was said to be the biggest battle ever fought in Jamaica.
In the year 1658, the Buccaneers came to Jamaica and had their headquarters at Port Royal on the invitation of the Governor. These Buccaneers were invited to help in the determent of the Spanish aggressors. These pirates were also used to gain wealth and Port Royal was once the richest city in the world. However, in 1692, Port Royal was destroyed by an earthquake. After the Earthquake the French tried to capture Jamaica from the British and was defeated.
After all these activities, the English were finally able to settle and they started growing produce that could be sold easily back home in their homeland. The sugar was the most successful crop grown and it soon became a mainstay in the island. Sugar was said to be the most jewel in the English crown, there was a tremendous growth shown as in 1673, there was 57 estates around and by the year 1739, this grown to 430 sugar estates on the island.
The growth then required laborers in the field and this provided by the Africans. This brought forth what was termed as of “Plantocracy”, otherwise known as “Slavocracy” which meant government comprised of plantation owners. The English was impressed by the work that the Africans were doing and the labor was so cheap that it was promising to be lucrative future. There was a continuation of Africans being shipped to the West Indies to be sold to these planters. The slaves were coming from West Africa – Senegal, Nigeria and other places.
The triangular slave trade was made popular and was a profitable business enterprise for the colonists. The route from Africa to the West Indies was so popular by this that it was the ‘Middle Passage’. The trade would start in England, where they would get trinkets and other goods; this was brought to Africa and exchanged for the slaves, then it would be unto the West Indies and the slaves would be sold. The journey would then start back to England with their molasses, rum and sugar.
The African slaves grown very uncomfortable with their new status and they started to rebel at every chance they got. Some of the slaves began to run away from the plantations, where they would join up with the maroons in the mountains. Several rebellions started as a result of this and were led by Tacky and Sam Sharpe.
The abolition movement started and played an important role in ending slavery and in November 1833, the Abolition Act was passed. In the year 1834 there was the emancipation, but the slaves were not so free and this only lasted for six years. It was not until August 1, 1838 that there was to be full freedom. |