The Untold Story of the 1865 Morant Bay Jamaica Rebellion: A Bloody Chapter in Jamaica's History

Jamaica, the land of pristine beaches and reggae music, is often associated with tranquility and relaxation. However, beneath its picturesque facade lies a turbulent history marked by moments of struggle and rebellion. One such event that remains etched in the annals of Jamaican history is the infamous Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865.

Rising Tensions and Socioeconomic Inequality:

To truly understand the causes and consequences of this historic rebellion, we journey back in time to the mid-19th century. Jamaica, then a British colony, was grappling with deep socioeconomic inequalities and a political system that disenfranchised the majority of its population.

The dwindling sugar industry, coupled with a series of devastating natural disasters, had severely impacted the economic stability of the island. Former slaves, who had been liberated in 1838, faced immense challenges in establishing themselves in a system that showed little regard for their rights and aspirations. These factors created a potent atmosphere of frustration and anger amongst the dispossessed Jamaican population.

The Late Rebellion in Jamaica: The History of the 1865 Morant Bay, Jamaica, Rebellion

by Stephen Flaherty(Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1707 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	13 pages

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The Spark that Ignited the Flame: George William Gordon

In the midst of this simmering tension emerged a leader who would go on to become the symbol of resistance against oppression - George William Gordon. Born into the ranks of the enslaved, Gordon rose to prominence as a politician advocating for the rights of the disenfranchised. He fearlessly challenged the entrenched power structures and championed the cause of justice and equality.

Gordon's fearless stance soon caught the attention of the authorities. Viewing him as a threat to their authority, they sought to dismantle his influence in Jamaican society. However, their attempts to silence him only served to amplify his message and solidify his standing among the oppressed populace.

The Bloody Suppression: The Aftermath of the Rebellion

On October 11, 1865, the Morant Bay Rebellion erupted in response to the unjust arrest of a black Jamaican for trespassing on a long-abandoned plantation. The frustration and anger accumulated over years of oppression reached a boiling point, and the rebellion quickly escalated into a violent confrontation between the rebel forces and the colonial authorities.

The British response to quell the uprising was swift and brutal. Military forces were dispatched to the region, and a state of emergency was declared. The rebellion was swiftly crushed, and the casualties on the rebel side numbered in the thousands. Even schools and churches were not spared, as the authorities sought to erase any symbol of resistance.

The Legacy of the Morant Bay Rebellion:

Despite its tragic consequences, the Morant Bay Rebellion played a pivotal role in shaping Jamaica's future. Britain, shocked by the level of violence and destruction, was forced to reevaluate its policies towards the island. The rebellion, in many ways, led to the end of formal slavery in Jamaica and the implementation of reforms aimed at improving the lives of the formerly enslaved population.

The rebellion also galvanized the spirit of resistance within the Jamaican people. It served as a catalyst for the eventual birth of the labor movement and the emergence of influential leaders such as Marcus Garvey, who fought for equal rights and self-determination.

Remembering the Past, Moving Forward:

The Morant Bay Rebellion is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Jamaican people. It reminds us of the struggles and sacrifices that have shaped the nation's history. While Jamaica has come a long way since those tumultuous days, it is important to remember and honor this pivotal chapter.

As we lounge on the pristine beaches of Jamaica, let us not forget the bloodshed and bravery that paved the way for the freedom and rights we enjoy today. The Morant Bay Rebellion stands as a stark reminder of the importance of justice, equality, and the tireless pursuit of a better tomorrow.

The Late Rebellion in Jamaica: The History of the 1865 Morant Bay, Jamaica, Rebellion

by Stephen Flaherty(Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1707 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	13 pages

FREE

“The Late Rebellion in Jamaica: The History of the 1865 Morant Bay, Jamaica, Rebellion” is a contemporary account of the 1865 Morant Bay revolt in Jamaica.

At the time Jamaica, the largest and most populous English-speaking island in the Caribbean, was a British colony.

The first human inhabitants of Jamaica and other Caribbean islands were indigenous people from the mainland. These earliest inhabitants were hunters and gatherers who may have come from the Yucatan Peninsula or nearby regions of Mexico and Central America.

Later on, however, farming people, known as Taino, arrived in the Caribbean islands. The ancestors of the Taino (formerly called Arawaks) and the related Island Caribs (also called Kalinago) originated in South America, around the Orinoco River Delta of Venezuela and the Guianas. Cassava (manioc) was the staple crop of both the Taino and Carib people of the Caribbean islands.

Jamaica’s indigenous Taino population disappeared after the island was settled by the Spanish in the 1500s. In 1655 it conquered by an English expedition sent by Oliver Cromwell. After failing to captured Santo Domingo in what is now the Dominican Republic, the English commander took the poorly defended island of Jamaica as a consolation prize. The English force outnumbered the entire population of Spanish Jamaica.

In the early years of the English occupation, Jamaica served as a base for pirates who preyed on Spanish treasure ships. The capital at the time, Port Royal (just south of Kingston) boomed with pirate wealth.

But, after anti-piracy treaties were signed with other European powers, Jamaica’s colonial authorities discouraged piracy. Colonists turned to agriculture, planting sugarcane. To work the sugar fields, they brought in thousands of enslaved people from West and West-Central Africa in the late 17th century.

By the 18th century, enslaved blacks formed the overwhelming majority of the population. In slavery times, Jamaica’s population was made up of enslaved blacks, free blacks (including Maroons),free “colored” (mixed race) people, and whites. The ruling class was made up of white planters. Free colored people formed a sort of middle-class, while the enslaved black majority was at the bottom.

Slavery was abolished from 1834-1838 in the British Empire, in the wake of a large slave revolt in western Jamaica (sometimes called “Sam Sharpe’s Rebellion” or the “Baptist War” 1831-1832).

Emancipation didn’t change the social structure of Jamaica. The black majority was still mostly poor and disenfranchised, some colored people were still better off, and the wealthiest whites still controlled the government. The white-run government put discriminatory policies in place, for example, they put heavy taxes on everyday necessities that were needed by the general population, but did not tax the luxury goods of the rich.

Economic hardships, and discriminatory treatment by authorities led to widespread discontent. This sparked the Morant Bay rebellion in 1865. The revolt began in the town of Morant Bay when a group the trial of a black men led to fighting between a crowd and police.

The alleged leader of the uprising was a black preacher named Paul Bogle. His alleged co-conspirator was a colored politician named George William Gordon. Bogle, Gordon, and several other alleged participants in the revolt were executed.

The Morant Bay revolt led the end of Jamaica’s elected (by very limited suffrage) local Assembly, and the island became a Crown Colony, governed directly by British-appointed officials.

The point of view of this particular account of the revolt, by an American newspaper correspondent, is supportive of the colonial authorities and opposed to the rebels. The rebels are depicted as bloodthirsty “savages”, and the brutal suppression of the rebellion by the colonial government (which seems to have involved the indiscriminate killing of civilians) is described as a “just retribution”.