Caribbean History CSEC Level

Easter Rebellion or the Bussa Rebellion of 1816 in Barbados. A Lesson prepared by Christopher Humber B.Ed (UWI), Teach Dip (Mico) August 2006.

The Easter Bussa Revolt 1816

BY the time the Barbados (Bussa) Revolt of 1816 began, the movement towards emancipation of the slaves in the British Caribbean had made a few good strides, so to speak. Chief of these was the abolition of the slave trade. The law was passed in 1807 and took effect January 1, 1808. Britain had opted for a gradual emancipation of the slaves. The abolitionists hoped that the planters/slave owners would be forced to treat their slaves better now that they would no longer be able to get replacements for them.

WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF THIS REBELLION?

Basic desire for freedom. There was no improvement of conditions for slaves since the 1790s. Instead in 1801, the Court passed an Act which fixed manumission for females at 300 with an annuity of 18 while males were required to pay 200 plus an annuity of 12. Needless to say this made it harder for the slaves to secure their freedom via manumission.

In response, the number of runaways increased! Between 1808 and 1815 over 200 slaves were listed in the Barbados newspapers as captured runaways. But, there were a number of slaves who felt that it was time for collective action- the type that would send the message home loud and clear. The slaves wanted emancipation. They wanted to rid themselves of the chattels.

There was increased planter aggression towards the slaves and their welfare News of the development of the emancipation movement trickled in from London. Conversely, there was increased slave aggression towards planter authority.

Role of Women in the Revolt

The success of the Haitian revolution placed additional pressure on the slave system at all levels. Nanny Grigg, a domestic slave from Simmonds plantation read reports of the Haitian revolution that had occurred. She was always talking about it to the other slaves. She went on further to say that they were all damned fools to work. She told them that she was not going to work anymore. She advocated for armed liberation (Beckles). She said the negroes were to be free on Easter Monday, and the only way to get it, was to fight for it, other wise they would not get it; and the way they were to do it was the way they did it in St. Domingue. (From a Reprint of the Report on Slave Insurrection in Barbados 1816)

Nanny Grigg

Note that she was well aware that emancipation would not come from the planters, but despite the planters. She was well informed of what was happening. She was also concerned about strategy and that they should have the same success as those slaves in the neighbouring colony of St. Domingue. It is ironic that her name is Nanny!

Never a dull moment in Barbados Literate Slaves.

There were those slaves who were literate enough, to read English and local papers such as the Bridgetown Gazette and the Barbados Mercury. They carefully followed the reports of anti-slavery meetings and debates in Parliament. Those who could read passed on information to those who could not. There was an amazing network of communication on the estates and in the few public places where slaves were allowed to meet, for example in the Churches.

Population Ratio

Some blacks believed that the island belonged to them and not to the whites. If one considers the fact that a little more than 80% of the island's population were slaves and add the number of free coloured to those statistics, then their claim seems more than justified, if by belonging one is referring to the fact of being born in the colony/island (Barbados). Clearly, there were more black creoles than whites! In 1829, the white population numbered 14,959, the free coloureds 5,146 while the blacks numbered 82, 902.

Poor Whites vs. Free Coloureds

There was also the element of personal grievances of the free coloureds in particular. Many of them were denied certain basic rights even though they were free. They were taken advantage of by the poor whites, mainly due to jealousy and spite. They, the free coloureds could not give evidence in court and this provided an excellent loophole for the poor whites to exploit, bully, intimidate, menace and torment them and worse yet, to get away scotch free with it!

Free coloured rebels

Cain Davis Roach Sergeant Washington Franklyn

The Registry Bill

A Registry Bill was suggested for all British colonies by Abolitionists in 1812. This required all slaves to be registered. All births, deaths, accidents of slaves and runaways would be recorded each year. It would therefore be illegal to have an unregistered slave, since all slaves should be accounted for. This would help to identify slaves that were being shipped illegally into the colonies. The planter or owner with a slave whose name does not appear on the register, would be punished by fine or other means.

Registration Act

In 1815, the British Government, through the influence of William Wilberforce asked all Colonial Assemblies to pass a Registration Act. The whites felt that this was an unnecessary interference and would not agree to even vote on the Bill. According to C. Levy: Emancipation, Sugar and Federalism: Barbados and the West Indies, 1833-76

"Planters in Barbados wildly exaggerated Wilberforce's proposal and printed distorted versions of the debates in Parliament, suggesting that slavery itself would end on January 1, 1816. Their intention was to unify whites against the Registry Bill, but the rumour also excited the negroes, many of whom seriously expected to be free. When the awaited deliverance did not occur, the slaves became restless," and the rebellion erupted.

E work to be emailed

Explain five factors that led the slaves in Barbados to revolt against the system of slavery in 1816. (10 marks)