“The rebels failed in their announced objective of driving whites and free coloreds from the island and working the plantations for their own benefit” pg 14
I believe that this quote is important for understanding the text because this was the goal for all slaves in revolt. Although the goal wasn’t achieved, it was possible but they got the next best thing, freedom. It was surprising to have found out that the leaders of the revolt were class leaders, deacons in the Baptist church, and even slaves of nice owners. These men not knowing the suffrage that all the other slaves have gone through is mind blowing but freedom was all that they had in common. These men were of great influence by how they first obligated all slaves to go on “sit down” strikes instead of being violent.
The violence began when the militia and army marched against them so instead of backing down the slaves themselves fought back and began to build their own army. A number to take note was that “only fourteen whites were killed” which shows how diverse Jamaica was at the time because many people died and a lot of property was destroyed. The religious leaders perspectives was that serving two gods wasn’t right therefore they must be of self interest and support one god. This revolt was considered as the “Baptist War” and as the owners slowly gave in to the slaves they began to destroy all of their religious buildings or figures. Clearly education and religion helped spark a fire for slaves who once knew nothing about possible success and freedom.
- How come slave trade was abolished but not slavery itself?
- What did these leaders of the revolt get in return for the abolishment?
