Sugar & Slavery in the Caribbean Presents:

Sugar & Slavery in the Caribbean

Gary Sang

Mrs. Ramirez

Caribbean Studies

11 December 2013

Was slavery a profitable and necessary economic activity for the sustainability of the British Empire during the 1700s?

• In order to conserve the high demand of sugar that developed in Great Britain during the 1700s, it was crucial for this country to continue promoting slave trade in the Caribbean.

Bibliographies

Craving for sweets

• "valeriemorisson." valeriemorisson RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2013. <http://lewebpedagogique.com/valeriemorisson/the-victorian-period/the-british-empire-and-slave-trade/>.
• "Historical Summary - Great Britain." Historical Summary - Great Britain. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2013. <http://www.sneydobone.com/webtree/history-gb.htm#e18>.
• "Untitled Document." Untitled Document. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2013. <http://webs.bcp.org/sites/vcleary/ModernWorldHistoryTextbook/IndustrialRevolution/PreIndus.html>.
• "Caribbean Islands - History." Caribbean Islands - History. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2013. <http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_studies/caribbean-islands/HISTORY.html>.

• Tea and Biscuits
• A great sugar consumption
• 1700- 4 lb of sugar
• 1750- 16 lb of sugar
• 1800-18 lb of sugar

• "Why was Slavery finally abolished in the British Empire?: The Abolition of Slavery Project." Why was Slavery finally abolished in the British Empire?: The Abolition of Slavery Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. <http://abolition.e2bn.org/slavery_111.html>.
• "British Colonial Expansion, The 18th-Century Economy." The 18th-Century Economy. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. <http://www.countriesquest.com/europe/united_kingdom/history/british_colonial_expansion/the_18th-century_economy.htm>.
• "A Flourishing Power." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/trade_empire_01.shtml>.
• "Case Study 4: Jamaica (1831) - The Rebellion: The Abolition of Slavery Project." Case Study 4: Jamaica (1831) - The Rebellion: The Abolition of Slavery Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. <http://abolition.e2bn.org/resistance_54.html>.
• "Sugar." Sugar. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2013. <http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/08/sugar/cohen-text>.

What was happening in Great Britain during the 18th century?

• Craving for sweets
• The Industrial Revolution
• A change in economy

In cONCLUSION:

Industrial Revolution?

• The slave trade was undoubtedly an impact on Britain’s commercial trade.
• Every profit came with a consequence.
• There is a huge cost for the use of sugar.
• Although the economic interest changed, sugar had a major impact on the development of society and economy.

• The sum of the changes in economic and social organization by the combination of industry in large establishments.
• Began in England in 1760
• Examples of new methods of production-
• the power loom
• the steam engine
• three field rotation
• "the spinning jenny"

Change in economy

• The economy rose rapidly through the Industrial Revolution.
• Not only that, but the slave trade help boost the Industrial Revolution.
• How was this possible?
• The raw materials or resources came from the British colonies and were imported to the main country to then be used for manufacturing. Lastly, it was sold back to the colonies.

Quotes:

• Eric Williams- an economic historian
• "mentioned that slavery and overseas commerce did contribute greatly to Britain’s industrialization. This was because the slave trade and the sale of sugar in Britain offered a substantial amount of the capital and the demand for the growth of British manufactured goods, and consequently, it was these two elements that proved to be the stimulus for Britain’s transition into an industrial nation."
• William Fox- Quaker leader
• told a crowd: "for every pound of sugar, we may be considered as consuming two ounces of human flesh.”
• A slave from Barbados that was missing a leg and a hand-
• "When we work in the sugar mills and we catch our finger in the millstone, they cut off our hand; when we try to run away, they cut off a leg; both things have happened to me. It is at this price that you eat sugar in Europe.”

thE Caribbean

• Two main British Colonies in the Caribbean:
• Barbados colonized in 1625
• Jamaica colonized in the 1650s

Why abolish slavery?

• A change in the economic interest
• Rebellions and resistance of enslaved people
• Abolition campaigns

Barbados

• After 1713- Barbados maintained and expanded sugar production.
• By 1750- 74 families owned 305 of the 536 sugar cane estates.
• By 1770- sugar products counted for 93% of Barbado's exports.
• A large difference in the population of whites and slaves.

Slaves

41,970

62,645

62,115

80,861

Whites

12,528

16,772

16,167

12,797

Years

1712

1757

1786

1833-1834

Jamaica

Rebellions and Abolition

• 1816- Rebellion in Barbados
• The purpose was to overthrow the British planters, gain freedom and create a better life for black/colored people.
• 1831- Greatest rebellion in Jamaica
• Enslaved people refused to work (strike) and burning down houses and warehouses full of sugar canes.
• 1833- A Bill to abolish slavery throughout the British Empire was passed in the House of Commons and the House of Lords

• 1740- One of the main sugar producers in the world.
• 1750- Became the greatest and largest sugar producer in the British Empire.
• Since there were Maroon raids, treaties were made in 1738 and in 1739 ended it.
• The British traders began to bring in more slaves, thus higher sugar prices remained after 1748.
• In 1775- Slave population had increased by 50% and sugar exports has doubled.

Years

1730

1758

1775

1800

1834

Whites

7,658

17,900

18,700

30,000

20,000

Slaves

74,525

176,900

192,800

300,000

310,000