“These men were among the most privileged slaves, enjoying significant material advantages and considerable autonomy in their personal lives and generally protected from the harsher features of slave life.” (16)
During the slave revolution of 1831, the Slaves of Jamaica failed to push the white people out of the country, but they did manage to make the revolution influence the abolishment of slavery just a year and a half later. The revolt did make its mark, damaging two hundred twenty six estates with more than a million sterlings worth of damages. The revolution was not a bloody one however, for whites at least, only fourteen whites died during the revolt, which is why it is so surprising that this revolt mainly influenced the abolishment of slavery in Jamaica. It appeared that investigations were held and discovered that the leaders of this revolt were mostly the plantation’s elite. Slaves who earned their master’s trust and were among the more privileged slaves. The quote above states, “generally protected from the harsher features of slave life.” What surprised the white men the most was that the slaves whom they trusted were the ones behind the revolution. The leaders of the rebellion were privileged slaves, so many of them had learned to read and write which allowed them to learn about the abolitionist movement in England which inspired them to start their revolution. That is why this revolt was so significant in the abolishment of slavery in Jamaica, the white men were blindsided by the slaves that they trusted most.
How did the revolt have so much influence in Parliament in 1831?
What led to the privileged slaves turning on the masters whom they gained trust from?
