1735-1835: History is marked by slave rebellions throughout the islands of the Caribbean

As sugar crops continued to flourish in the Caribbean, the number of blacks generously surpassed the number of whites living in the region. This led to great difficulties for the white planters, who used their slaves to produce these all-important crops.

An average ratio across the islands was 10 blacks or mulattoes to every one white, but in the countrysides filled with sugar plantations, the ratio was closer to 50 blacks or mulattoes to every white person. White people began to grow anxious about this ethnic discrepancy.

Who Rebelled?

Revolts by slaves had always been common, but a pattern developed over the years. Newly purchased slaves were more likely to revolt than Creoles, or slaves born in the islands. During times of war, the French also encouraged British slaves to rebel.

Many slaves brought to the islands were Coromantee Africans, slaves brought in from the Gold Coast. Many of these people were the Akan, often from the Ashanti tribe. However, Coromantee warriors captured in battle did not easily leave their leadership positions for servitude.

A particularly noteworthy example of such a Coromantee-chief-led rebellion is Tacky's Rebellion on Jamaica in 1760. Tacky led slaves around the island to revolt, murdering a shopkeeper on Easter morning and stealing guns, gunpowder, and other necessary supplies. They then moved inland, taking over estates and killing the whites of the plantation - who were often still asleep in their beds.

Though the militia and armed troops quickly captured and put down this first outbreak, the next several months on the island of Jamaica were filled with slave uprisings. In the end, some 60 whites and between 300 and 400 blacks were killed.

More Rebellions

Slave uprisings occurred throughout the islands, though many would-be revolt leaders were caught before rebellions could begin. The dates below list some of the larger rebellions that were staged from 1735 to 1835. But on islands that had held slaves since the earliest days of colonization, such as Barbados, a majority of slave revolts usually occurred before these dates.

Throughout history, Jamaica was home to more slave rebellions than all of the other British islands combined.

These rebellions were a part of the larger picture. Emancipation began to become a truly important part of the world view in the 1800s, and the slaves, too, were aware of the political climate. The French Revolution served to further the campaign to free blacks.

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