Name: Ayanna Hutchinson

Proficiency: General

School: Ardenne High School

Territory: Jamaica

Teacher: Mrs. Lawrence-Davids

Candidate number: 1000051363

Area of research: Theme 2: Caribbean Economy and Slavery

 Title page

Theme: Caribbean Economy and Slavery

Topic: The Sugar Revolution

Research Question: What evidence is there to show that the Sugar Revolution transformed the

social, economic and political landscape of the Caribbean in the 17th century?

Research Objectives:

- Define the Sugar Revolution and identify the areas most affected by it

- Outline and examine the causes of the Sugar Revolution

- Analyze and assess the social, political and economic landscape of the Caribbean before

and after the Sugar Revolution

1
 Introduction

Throughout this School-Based Assessment, I aimed to answer my research question “What

evidence is there to show that the Sugar Revolution transformed the social, economic and

political landscape of the Caribbean in the 17th century?” This question was based upon my

chosen topic “The Sugar Revolution”, under the theme of “Caribbean Economy and Slavery”. I

have defined what the Sugar revolution was, along with the areas most affected by it. I have also

outlined and examined the causes of the Sugar Revolution and analyzed and assessed the

political, economic and social landscape of the Caribbean before and after the Sugar Revolution.

This SBA has allowed me to expand my knowledge of the Sugar Revolution. This paper is a

comprehensive summary of my findings.

2
 Table of contents

Page

Rationale 4

Chapter 1

The Sugar Revolution and areas most affected by it 5

Chapter 2

Causes of the Sugar Revolution 6

Chapter 3

The social, economic and political landscape 8

of the Caribbean:

- Before the Sugar Revolution 8

- After the Sugar Revolution 9

Conclusion 14

Works Cited 16

Appendix 17

3
 Rationale

The Sugar Revolution occurred in the English and, to a lesser extent, French colonies of the

Caribbean in the 17th century. The West Indian tobacco industry saw losses in the quality and

quantity of their crop due to competition from Virginian tobacco- an early colony in the now

United States of America. The competition from this new supplier created a glut in the market

which resulted in severe economic losses in the Caribbean. This caused the colonies to look

toward a new ‘cash crop’, turning them towards sugarcane. However, this new crop needed a

significantly large labour force to cultivate, one of which the colonies did not have. As a result of

this, the English and French colonies of the Caribbean imported large numbers of slaves from

West Africa. This decision led to a drastic future change in the social, political and economic

landscape of the Caribbean.

I chose the topic “The Sugar Revolution” under the theme of “Caribbean Economy and Slavery”

due to my already prior knowledge of the topic. I am striving to earn a more in-depth and

comprehensive understanding of the Sugar Revolution and its causes and effects. I also believe

that this SBA will aid me in further grasping the topic and building on my knowledge in

preparation for my upcoming exams.

In this paper, I will be defining what the Sugar Revolution was and the areas most affected by it,

outline and examine the causes of the Sugar Revolution, and assess the impact it had on the

social, political and economic landscape of the Caribbean.

4
 Chapter 1: The Sugar Revolution and areas most affected by it

“Of the many revolutions identified by historians, only one takes its name from a

particular commodity. This is the sugar revolution, a concatenation of events located in the

seventeen-century Caribbean.” (Higman, 2000). The sugar revolution had a large impact on the

social, political and economic landscape of the various West Indian colonies (Dyde et al. 2008).

The six central elements of the sugar revolution are commonly regarded as a swift shift from

diversified agriculture to sugar monoculture, from production on small farms to large plantations,

from free to slave labour, from sparse to dense settlement, from white to black populations, and

from low to high value per caput output (Higman, 2000). Therefore, the sugar revolution

occurred in the 17th century Caribbean and affected the economic landscape, social makeup and

political system of the entire West Indies.

The sugar revolution happened at a rapid pace but was the most obvious in the Lesser

Antilles. The best example of the rate at which the sugar revolution occurred was Barbados,

where the revolution occurred in roughly one decade, from 1640 to 1650 (Dyde et al. 2008). To a

lesser extent, the revolution also occurred in the French colonies. The slow rate at which the

revolution occurred in the French colonies can be seen in Martinique and Guadeloupe, where it

took a century to complete (Dyde et al. 2008). Therefore, the sugar revolution might have

occurred faster in the British colonies relative to the French colonies because England was a

larger country and had more resources than France. These resources allowed them to apply the

sugar revolution at a much faster pace.

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 Chapter 2: Causes of the sugar revolution

According to Green, 1988, the West Indies’ tobacco economy was “hard hit during the

1630s by a sharp decline in European tobacco prices”. The founding crop of the economy of the

Lesser Antilles, tobacco, started to decline because of competition from the foreign colony of

Virginia (a colony in the now United States of America). Virginian tobacco was a variety

imported from Trinidad, which makes it ironic that a West Indian variety was the cause of the

decline in the West Indian tobacco crop (Dyde et al. 2008). By 1627, Virginia was able to ship

nearly 500,000 lbs. (226,800 kg) of tobacco to England in one year. This was five times the

amount that St Kitts and Barbados were able to ship in 1628, which was only 100,000 lbs.

(45,360 kg). In addition to that, Virginia also had the upper hand size-wise which enabled them

to have individual plots of up to 50 acres (20 ha) in comparison to 10 acres (4 ha) in the West

Indies. Virginia’s quality of tobacco was also a lot better than the West Indies’ (Dyde et al.

2008). The large amount of West Indian and Virginian tobacco created a glut – excessive supply

(HarperCollins, 2012) – in the British market, which led to a drop in prices. Virginia met supply

demands easily while the West Indies struggled because of inferior quality and inability to

expand. They also received competition from the Dutch in Venezuela and Curaçao (Dyde et al.

2008). Therefore, while it is ironic that Virginia used a West Indian variety of tobacco to

compete with the West Indies, they had the overall upper hand that led them to easily beating the

West Indies at “their own game”. In addition to that, the West Indies just lacked the resources to

keep up, let alone beat Virginia and rise back to the top of the tobacco market.

The rising demand for sugar in Europe led the West Indian colonies to turn towards sugar

cultivation. Coffee and tea were increasing in popularity in Europe, and they wanted a cheaper

sweetener than honey (Abhagan, 2017). Thus, came the idea to cultivate sugar (Dyde et al.

6
2008). The tropical climate of the West Indies made it favourably suited for growing sugar as

these were the conditions that sugar thrived in. This would decrease the risk of competition from

foreign colonies, ensuring profit for the West Indies. A transatlantic voyage also made the West

Indies more accessible to the European market and ships could carry large amounts of sugar,

reducing the number of trips needed (Abhagan, 2017). Hence why it was good that the West

Indies found an alternative to tobacco that almost entirely ensured no competition from foreign

colonies. Moving towards sugar production was a good move economically, although differently

can be said for politically and socially.

7
 Chapter 3: The social, economic and political landscape of the Caribbean

Before the sugar revolution

Social landscape

The population of the West Indian colonies were mainly white. This was because, before

the sugar revolution, there was no need for black workers in the Caribbean. Social standings

were also based on wealth and occupation. The poorer a person was, the lower they stood on the

social pyramid, and the richer they were, the higher they stood on the social pyramid (Dyde et al.

2008). Therefore, West Indian colonies were mostly white because they were colonized by the

British. Social standing was economically based and the rich stayed rich while the poor struggled

to get rich.

Economic landscape

The main crop and profit of the colonies before the revolution was tobacco. Planters were

also in the practice of subsidiary farming. Tobacco plantations were normally worked by a white

indentured servant or by the white owner assisted by a white indentured servant. Agriculture was

diversified, as many crops were grown in the colonies like tobacco, indigo and cotton.

Plantations were relatively small and the labourers who worked on them were paid and had

contracts. Therefore, this economy was infinitely better than the one after the sugar revolution

because workers were treated better, not enslaved and discriminated against because of their

race.

8
Political landscape

British West Indian colonies were governed by the Proprietary System before and during

the revolution. Proprietors were given charters that defined their rights and powers. The King

still had the power to interfere with the running of the colony when it suited him; he was

unwilling to give the proprietor full control over his colonies. However, as long as the King

received the dues from the proprietors as outlined in their charter, he rarely interfered.

Proprietors were not, however, interested in the daily running of the colonies or their welfare so

long as the colonies were profitable and problem-free. The proprietors appointed governors,

whose job was to handle the administration of the colonies. The proprietor was merely a

figurehead and a man of influence (Dyde et al. 2008). Therefore, just like in present-day times,

the person in charge of the colonies was too lazy to carry out all their duties and so shoved their

work unto others.

French colonial government followed the pattern of France’s government. Unlike

England, France was an absolute monarchy. The French West Indian islands had no popular

assemblies. Governors were the ‘masters’ of their colonies and the failure or success of the

French colonies entirely depended on the governor’s capabilities. Intendants worked alongside

the governors to ensure their work was being properly executed. There was also a council

nominated by the king to advise the governor; the council was not allowed to make laws (Dyde

et al. 2008).

After the sugar revolution

9
Social landscape

According to (Dyde et al. 2008), the sugar revolution brought about a change in the size

and composition of the population of each island. The white population of the islands decreased

as small landholders moved away because their lands were bought to make bigger plantations.

The number of blacks on each island also increased due to the implementation of the slave trade

that carried large numbers of black slaves to the islands. The planter governments of the English

islands attempted to keep the black-to-white ratio below ten to one, but this became increasingly

difficult as the years went by (Dyde et al. 2008). Displaced white smallholders who lost their

land in the sugar revolution refused to work for wages and alongside the black slaves on the

sugar estates. Some opted to migrate to other islands, but encountered the same revolution there

too. Gradually, the white population dwindled and the new West Indian society, the sugar

society, consisted of small white elite and a mass of black slaves (Dyde et al. 2008). Figure 1

shows the change in the population make-up of the English islands between the beginning of the

sugar revolution and the mid-eighteenth century.

West Indian society changed from 90% free (white) to 90% slave (black) by the end of

the sugar revolution. Social divisions among slaves were based on occupation: domestic, artisan,

factory, field (Hamilton-Willie. 2001). Divisions could not be based on economics or education

because slaves could not own land and were denied education; nor could tribe or family because

family ties and tribal identity were destroyed by slave-owners. White social divisions were based

on wealth, education and family background. No social mobility existed between whites and

blacks. Blacks and free coloureds could never enter the whites’ world because of their skin

colour (Dyde et al. 2008). Social contact between whites and blacks on the estates included:

contact on the field/factory, distribution of rations and clothes, at the market, at church, in the

10
Great House (Hamilton-Willie. 2001). Therefore, the sugar revolution brought the great divide in

West Indian society into black and white. Figure 2 shows the social organization of the

Caribbean slave society after the sugar revolution.

Economic landscape

Because of the new sugar demand, larger estates had to be implemented to cultivate

sufficient amounts of sugar for export. Landholdings increased in size and smallholdings were

grouped into larger estates under the ownership of a rich planter. In Barbados, landholdings

tended to be smaller than those of other islands. After the change to sugar, the average holding

was 150 acres (60 ha) and the largest were 500 acres (200 ha). Sugar estates also had to be self-

sufficient and many owners struggled with this (Dyde et al. 2008). Land prices also shot up, for

example, in some parts of Barbados, the prices grew up to thirty times as much as before. The

number of landowners in Barbados fell from 11,200 in 1645 to 745 in 1667 because of the steep

prices of land due to amalgamation (Claypole & Robottom, 2001).

The sugar revolution led to monoculture, a dangerous economic foundation that

eventually led to much distress in the colonies. By 1660, Barbados was almost exclusively a

sugar island and produced up to 15,000 tons a year from 300 plantations. The concentration of

sugar in the islands led the colonies to not being able to produce enough food for its growing

population and having to import foodstuffs like dried fish and meat from North America. This

also led to many slaves dying from under-nourishment and starvation. The practice of

absenteeism was also introduced after the revolution. Because of all the profits from the 17 th and

18th century sugar, planters were able to return to England, set up residence and live off their

estate proceeds. Planters were pushed away from the colonies because of diseases like malaria

11
and yellow fever, proximity to slaves, lack of cultural life, and no educational facilities. They

were also drawn back to England because of their quest for status (Dyde et al. 2008). Therefore,

absenteeism led to the destruction of the plantation system and the draining of the islands’ wealth

because the plantation owners were not present. It also led to monoculture in the colonies that

resulted in them not being able to adequately provide food for the population. Land sizes and

prices also increased.

The sugar revolution also led to the transatlantic slave trade. Between 1518 and 1870, the

transatlantic slave trade supplied the greatest proportion of the Caribbean population. Acquiring

and transporting Africans to the New World became a big and extremely lucrative business.

From a modest trickle in the early sixteenth century, the trade increased to an annual import rate

of about 2,000 in 1600, 13,000 in 1700, and 55,000 in 1810. Between 1811 and 1870, about

32,000 slaves per year were imported.1

Political landscape

The proprietary system of government was replaced with the Old Colonial System, or

Crown Colony system. Under this system of government, each colony was a miniature England

with an English pattern of government. The governor was the representative of the king; his

council corresponded to the House of Lords and the assembly corresponded to the House of

Commons. The governor was paid an inadequate salary for his expenditure, mostly entertaining

visitors, and often became dependent on ‘presents’ which were thought to be like bribes given if

the governor pleased the assembly. His salary was £1000 which was increased to £2000 in 1703

(Dyde et al. 2008). The governor had an official residence. His most important function was as
1
U. (n.d.). The Sugar Revolutions and Slavery. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from http://countrystudies.us/caribbean-
islands/8.htm#:~:text=The%20sugar%20revolutions%20were%20both,and%20irregularly%20supplied%20African
%20slaves

12
captain-general. He also had to see to defence, train the militia and be the commander of the

militia in war time. The governor also had an advisory council. It normally consisted of seven

members who owned good estates and were free from debt.

The unique feature of the English colonial government in the West Indies was the

assembly. For example, the Barbados assembly began in 1639 and had a continuous existence

until 1966. Representatives were chosen by acclamation, then by open voting. Members of the

council and assembly differed in selection process and wealth, council members were rich, large

planters while members of the assembly were smallholders. Council and assembly members used

to sit together but after the Restoration, the governor decided whether they sat together or not.

Eg. In Barbados the council and assembly last sat together in 1663 (Dyde et al. 2008).

13
 Conclusion

The sugar revolution was the drastic change from tobacco to sugar in the Caribbean in the

17th century. The revolution led to a complete change in the social, economic and political

landscape of the Caribbean. The revolution happened most rapidly in the British West Indian

islands and to a lesser extent, the French islands. An example of the rapid rate of the sugar

revolution was in Barbados where the revolution took place in a decade, from 1640-1650.

Oppositely, in French islands like Martinique and Guadeloupe, the revolution spanned a century.

West Indian tobacco saw competition from foreign colony Virginia (in the now United States of

America). Because of their bigger land sizes and the quality of their tobacco, Virginia was able

to export 5 times as much tobacco as the West Indies in a year. The competition between the

West Indies and Virginia created a glut in the market which led to a drop in tobacco prices,

devastating the West Indian tobacco economy even more. They eventually decided to cut their

losses and move on to a crop that was also in high demand, sugar. Europe needed a cheaper

sweetener alternative to honey, which was sugar. Because this crop thrived in tropical climates,

the Caribbean was the prime region to cultivate this crop. This also lessened the risk of

competition from foreign markets. Additionally, transatlantic voyages also made exporting from

the West Indies to England much faster and cheaper.

Before the revolution, the colonies consisted of mainly whites and the social stratification was

based on wealth and occupation. However, after the revolution, the population of the colonies

were mostly blacks, due to the importation of thousands of slaves from West Africa. Slaves now

represented the bottom of the social food chain, with coloureds being in the middle and the

whites at the top. Even the poorest, most illiterate white could call himself better than the richest,

14
most educated black simply because of his skin colour. The main crop of the West Indies

changed from tobacco to sugar. Agriculture changed from being diversified to monoculture.

Labour went from being paid and contracted to slavery. Small landholders lost their land as land

prices shot up and land tenure changed to create larger estates. Planters also practiced

absenteeism which led to the destruction of the plantations because estate owners were not

present on their estates. The government system changed from the Proprietary system to the Old

Colonial system or the Crown Colony system. Under the Proprietary system the King did not

have absolute control over the British colonies. Proprietors ran the colonies, although they were

lazy and left most of the work to governors they appointed themselves. Under the Crown Colony

system, each colony had an English pattern of government. This included the King himself, who

was now more involved in the governance of the colonies, the governors, the Privy Council, the

House of Lords, House of Commons and the Assembly. Governors were paid inadequately;

Council members were chosen based on wealth and Assembly members were smallholders.

15
 Works Cited
Abhagan, M. (2017, January 18). The Sugar Revolution in the British West Indies. Retrieved November 3,
2021, from Word Press: https://maureenabhagan.wordpress.com/blog/

Claypole, W., & Robottom, J. (2001). Caribbean Story, Book 1, 3rd Edition. Malaysia.

Collins. (2012). Collins Pocket English Dictionary and Thesaurus, Sixth Edition. Italy: HarperCollins
Publishers.

Dyde, B., Greenwood, R., & Hamber, S. (2008). CSEC History, Book 1, Amerindians to Africans, 3rd
Edition. Malaysia: Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Green, W. A. (1988). Supply versus Demand in the Barbadian Sugar Revolution. The Journal of
Interdisciplinary History, 18(3), 403–418.

Hamilton-Willie, D. (2001). The Sugar Estate. In Lest you forget: Caribbean Economy and Slavery (pp. 25-
32). Jamaica Pub. House.

Higman, B. W. (2000). The Sugar Revolution. The Economic History Review, 53(2), 213–236.

U. (n.d.). The Sugar Revolutions and Slavery. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from
http://countrystudies.us/caribbean-islands/8.htm#:~:text=The%20sugar%20revolutions%20were
%20both,and%20irregularly%20supplied%20African%20slaves.

16
 Appendix

Figure 1: Table showing the population of English islands between the beginning of the sugar
revolution and the 18th century

17
Figure 2: Image depicting the social organisation of the Caribbean Slave Society after the sugar
revolution

18