Quilombo

There are many parts to the history of slavery. Slavery has been in an existence since the 15^th century; and as slavery went on, slaves became more and more rebellious like those in Jamaica. They acquired this attitude not because they were fans of violence but because they were rather tired of the cruelty and brutality they endured daily.

            Slaves were taken from Africa to what they called the “New World” with Jamaica being one of them. It has been told that the African Slaves that were taken to Jamaica were very rebellious. Most slaves in Jamaica were runaway slaves and they as the Maroons—they fought masters until both sides came to an agreement; they could often negotiate with the colonial authorities and use that as a means of making their condition better (Oxford Journals, 376). They always had a different way of resisting their masters—sometimes violently and other times explicably. Sometimes the authorities would also negotiate with the Maroon leader by making a freedom treaty—this treaty didn’t not give them all freedom they needed; meaning there were restrictions of what when they can and cannot do. In addition, another treaty was concluded in 1749. This was called the peace treaty; it was mainly because the maroon group and their violent attitudes destroyed the Dutch settlers. This particular group was very influential on the slave rebellions and resistance in many different ways; the maroons were looked up to for hope by those who were still in bondage. Their existence was a challenge to those in bondage—it strengthened their weakness and sort of assured they could also fight and succeed in becoming free.

            Another predominant group was the Akan’s. The Akans during the time they were forced to come into the new world brought with them their traditional religious practices from back home( Gold Coast) in which they believed in. interestingly enough, the planters didn’t consider that as threat; this wasn’t close to their worries. Their concern was concentrated more on how equipped the slaves were in working on the plantation fields. There were times where the slaves used their traditional practices (Voodoo) to magically dodge gun bullets; this was done by having powder all over their body and so on and so forth. “Once African religious ceremonies were proscribed, magic still persisted and it was so well adapted to going underground” (Oxford Journals 383). This group also had its influential part to part to play. Their traditional religious practice did not only unify them but it also sort of a suitable reason that paved the way for the slaves to gather and communicate amongst themselves. There