What Impact Did the Sam Sharpe Christmas Rebellion Have on the Emancipation of Slavery in the British West Indies?

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This rebellion, however, became fundamental to hastening the process of emancipation. Sam Sharpe, now a Jamaican National Hero, was hung on May 23; he was hanged in Parade in Montego Bay, having told Bleby 'I would rather die upon yonder gallows than live in slavery.' His body is said to have been removed from its original burial place to a grave beneath the pulpit of the Montego Bay Baptist Church. The location of his gallows is now the Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay.

The Sam Sharpe Christmas Rebellion of 1831 was a key event in the fight for the abolishment of slavery; it was the final hammer blow on the door to freedom. It forced upon the British Parliament the realization that the abolition of slavery had to be treated as a matter of urgency and that the slaves themselves would not allow the issue to be indefinitely postponed. The revolt helped to speed up the slow process of emancipation. In the summer of 1832 the Baptists missionaries Reverend William Knibb and Reverend Thomas Burchell gave evidence to the committee which the House of Commons (England) had set up to consider emancipation as soon as possible. This gave the process of emancipation a further boost, the stories of brutality against the blacks and the persecution of the white missionaries enraged English opinions and the public demanded immediate emancipation. One year later, in May 1833, the British House of Commons stated explicitly that the British nation must, on its own initiative, suppress slavery in all British Dominions. Thus, just a few years later, the beginnings of Sharpe’s dream would be realized, when in 1834 slavery would be abolished, the System of Apprenticeship instituted and then unconditional emancipation of chattel slavery in 1838. Overall the revolt failed of accomplishing the immediate purpose, yet by it a further wound was dealt to slavery, which accelerated its destruction: for it demonstrated to the imperial legislature that among the Negroes themselves the spirit of freedom had been so widely defused, as to render it most perilous to postpone the settlement of the most important question of emancipation to a later period.

The abolition of slavery had religion deeply rooted in it also, persons who were against slavery believed it was contrary to the will of God and that slavery violated the right of freedom of man. There were several missionaries that fought for the abolition of slavery some of which were the Quakers and the Clampham Sect. These missionaries were hostilely disregarded by the planters and viewed as being discouraging to the slave society. The missionaries were seen as outsiders because they did not have the same status as planters even though they were of the same race and the planters gave them a hard time because they felt that the missionaries were undermining their authority. One of the main reasons why missionaries were persecuted by masters was because they believed that missionaries were an aid in revolts against them. As a result the planters did not permit relationships between their slaves and missionaries, and they burned down their chapels and churches. After the Christmas Rebellion news of the abuse of missionaries reached England and parent- missionaries spoke out. This helped to strengthen the movement of abolition of slavery. It was the persecution of missionaries that made the abolitionist turns their effort to the abolition of slavery in 1823. The slaves themselves, their refusal to accept slavery and their revolts played a major role in their own emancipation. Also the changing economic situation and slave labour was no longer seen as profitable way of producing sugar. All these factors combined brought an end to slavery.

Conclusion

In concluding, it is evident based on my findings that the Samuel Sharpe Rebellion in 1831 did in fact impacted significantly to speedy process of the emancipation of slavery in the British West Indies. The Samuel Sharpe Christmas rebellion of 1831 was very instrumental in the fight for the abolishment of slavery. The Rebellion was known by many historians as a great catalyst towards the emancipation in 1838. This rebellion demonstrated to the British that the slaves were tired of being slaves and wanted freedom and if they were not going to give them they will take it for themselves. They proved to the British that they were serious and very dangerous to the stability of the island and therefore they abolished slavery. It also shocked the British government and made them see that the costs and dangers of keeping slavery in the British West Indies were too high.

Samuel Sharpe by his work, strength and courage in carrying out the rebellion aided a struggle which resulted in emancipation from colonial shackles. Although it took a few years later after is death, the beginning of Sharpe’s dream would be realized; when in 1834 slavery would be abolished.

Appendix

[pic 1] Statue of Sam Sharpe in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay

[pic 2] Portrait of Sam Sharpe

[pic 3] 1831 Slave Rebellion

[pic 4] The Kensington Historical Site

[pic 5] Slaves on a Plantation

Bibliography

Baldeosingh, K. and Mahase, R. (2011). Caribbean History, Oxford University Press.

Dowling, Mike, "Slavery in the Caribbean ," available from http://www.mrdowling.com/710-workers.html; Internet; updated Sunday, July 10, 2005.

http//www.scribd.com/doc/44173293/History-SBA.

http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/This%20Is%20jamaica/emancipation.html