History Of Slavery In The Caribbean
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Caribbean has had a long history of slavery. Several of the Caribbean islands actually had a population but still slave labor was required for manufacturing sugar which was the island’s main trade. The sugar crop grew very well here. Actually white servants came to the islands before the African slaves arrived. However, these servants did not arrive in large numbers.
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The white servants were mainly indentured and when they came, they did so on a contract and when the contract was over they were granted land. Some workers from Barbados were kidnapped and brought into the Caribbean.
Barbados was the first to make sue of the sugar available on the Caribbean. Women were also taken to the island as maids. Several Irish girls and Jamaicans were sent to the island for work. Also, robbers and other small criminals had been sent to the island to work. By the end of 16th century, almost all the British Islands were occupied and there was no more land to provide for the servants at the end of the indenture. Several slaves were left in Barbados and more than required. In the mid 16th century, the British, French and the West Indians were actually interested in growing export oriented crops more than their own food. They saw this had more profits and potential. Barbados had agricultural diversity in the form of sugar, cotton and indigo.
There were several rules for the slaves who came for agriculture in the islands. The slaves had to be baptized and marriage was allowed among slaves if the owner agreed.
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