THE EFFECTS OF THE CHRISTMAS REBELLION

The Christmas Rebellion that took place in 1831 affected Jamaica tremendously as it was the

largest slave rebellion Jamaica has seen throughout history. In this section of the assignment the

effects the rebellion had on the political regiment and religious communities in Jamaica will be

highlighted.

 Ceasing of Rumours – The West Indian Lobby (an English charity formed for absentee

plantation owners and British based merchants) had spread rumors that the enslaved in

Jamaica did not wish to be freed from their shackles as it would make them unhappy if

they were to be left without owner. With all that being said I think it acceptable to say

that this thought and rumour they spread was absolutely absurd. Countless rebellions had

occurred before the Christmas Rebellion but they were small enough to be overlooked by

those in the in the mother country. They did not disrupt the plantation system for as long

as the Christmas Rebellion. But the rebellion lasted over 10 ten days and influenced

many smaller rebellions across the island making it hard for it to go unnoticed or to be

ignored. This was the proof they needed to really prove that the enslaved were tired of

being in shackles truly and did not wish to have owners or be owned.

 Oppression of the Baptist Church – The Baptist church suffered tremendously because

of the rebellion. Sam Sharpe was a well-known Baptist preacher and he used this as a

means to spread the word of the rebellion being planned. As such, after the rebellion took

place the Baptist church was blamed for the uprising. Baptist leaders were