Slavery in the Caribbean Effects on Culture Race and Labor
Abstract
This paper will focus on slavery in the Caribbean and its effect on race, culture and labour. Slavery began in the 16th century and was promoted because of the need for labour on the sugar plantations. Slave trading was directly related to the plantations. Unfortunately, the sugar plantations resulted in a slave society. The entire plantation system was terribly degrading. The slaves were treated terribly and suffered throughout their lives. Slave turnover was very high because of the very poor treatment they received. They were denied medicines and food. While being forced into slavery, they neglected themselves. As a result, many slaves died. This then resulted in plantation owners trying to secure even greater numbers of slaves to work on their plantations. Nonetheless, these people had pride and ultimately resisted white supremacy. They developed a resistance movement that was ultimately successful. There were many types of resistance that the slaves would use. Some forms of resistance were rather effective, whereas others were not. Additionally, the resistance movement certainly cost many lives. Emancipation finally came about in the 19th century. Throughout this entire ordeal, an entirely new social class developed, the "free colored" people. These people were legally freed however they were invariably excluded based on their racial ancestry. Many of these people continued to be persecuted, just like slaves. Slavery obviously had a significant effect on culture. Slavery continues to have an effect many decades after abolition. Many cultural trends have been influenced in one way or another by slavery in the Caribbean. Race was also affected. The new social class was a result of a race that developed between slaves and Europeans. This third social class has had a significant effect on many aspects of culture. Labour was also affected by slavery in many different ways.