Essay On Resistance And Revolt

Name: Jana Márquez

School: St. Joseph’s Convent Port of Spain

Section: Section A

Theme: Theme 3

Question: Resistance and Revolt

Thousands of slaves were captured and transported to the New World from Africa due to the large labour force the sugar revolution required . These slaves were forced into slavery and sold as possessions. They were seen as property and many were abused. They faced harsh punishments such as torture, whipping and overwork and were coerced into an obedient labour force. Inhumane treatment and unbearable conditions caused many of them to resist through insurrectionary and non insurrectionary efforts . This SBA will show that marronage was a more successful from of resistance than insurrectionary

Maroonage created economic independence for the enslaved. Due to their effective self governance they had a sustainable food supply and in some cases developed a trade between marron villages and with free black and coloured societies. In Jamaica many gathered on Sundays at urban markets to trade farming tools, textiles, iron and copper items and self-cultivated food. This trade not only supplied maroons with necessities but also provided items to enhance their lifestyles. These communities cultivated cocoa, sugar cane, plantain, cabbage ,banana, yam, melon and corn and fished and hunted crabs, pigeons and wild boar to ensure that they did not have to rely on assistance from colonial government. Political independence

African were able to achieve greater political independence during marronage rather than during revolts. Revolts only lasted for a few days followed by the continuation of slavery in which the enslaved were once again under the governance of their masters. They were forced to adhere to the oppressive rules that disallowed practice of any religion other than that of their master, congregation of

In terms of self leadership, marronage is seen as the more successful form of rebellion. Some runaway slaves established communities in which they had a functioning system of government. Their self governance was maintained by their communal and democratic leadership which was very rarely interfered with by the British. An example of this leadership was Nanny who lead the Eastern maroons in gorilla warfare which allowed them to defeat the British forces after which she lead as a wise woman who passed down the customs and traditions of their ancestors. Their laws were based on their values and were not influenced by the British. Leadership within the communities was hereditary but varied between matriarchal and patriarchal in each community. The Eastern maroons of Jamaica practiced matrilineal decent much like the Ashanti tribe of which their leader Nanny was a descendent. Elders were generally in high ranking positions and women held military and parliamentary roles. One example of this was Nanny of the Windward Maroons in Jamaica.

Maroonage afforded enslaved their permanent physical and cultural freedom . They also obtained