Slavery in Jamaica Essay - 4444 Words

Jamaica has been a land exploited and oppressed by white nations for much of its history. First colonized by the Spanish and then the British, it seems hard to imagine a time when it was just the native people living in peace and harmony with the land. Many years after the white man first jammed himself onto the beaches of Jamaica, reggae music was born. A continuing tradition, this easy-to-groove-to music style originated as a voice against this oppression; it was the peaceful islanders way of finally communicating their plighted history to all who would listen, or all who could appreciate a good beat. Much of this oppression came in the time of slavery; a period of nearly two hundred years where those of a dark skin were considered†¦show more content†¦The goal of the British Parliament was simple; the keep the Jamaican economy afloat, at all costs. They simply had to have the Jamaican working class continue to work at practically slave wages, as hard as they did when they were considered property. A profit must be had; this meant oppressing the ex-slaves, making it difficult for them to succeed as subsistent farmers or as independent businessmen. The British intended to keep their absolute power over this colony, cutting down the success of the Jamaicans in a variety of methods. Our country believed for a long time that one race was superior and all others inferior, and that the superior race had the right to own the lives of people of a different skin tone. Eventually, abolitionists found support enough for their cause to start a wave that convinced a nation of blind to see. Jamaica’s situation was different. The British came storming in to this paradise of resources and, as was customary of their empire, colonized it. They forced upon the indigenous folk their proper ways, including their religion, and developed a system whereby they legally owned them. The treatment of the slaves was as objects, not as humans. Housing was minimal; they were often forced to farm their own food in addition to working in the plantations all day. The women often birthed bastard children with the light skin of a British father (Ragatz, 377). 1831 marked the beginning of the end for Jamaican slavery. RebellingShow MoreRelatedEssay about Slavery in Africa, Europe, and Jamaica6041 Words   |  25 PagesSlavery in Africa, Europe, and Jamaica Traders, businessmen, African slavers and slaves each had a unique experience and involvement in the business of the transatlantic slave trade. This lucrative process, that lasted between 1500 to 1870 AD included three different hemispheres: Europe, Africa, and the Americas, specifically Jamaica. 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