Caribbean History pool 1

May 7, 2021
Topic: The Metropolitan Movements towards Emancipation
Instruction: All responses in this section must be well developed. Points must be logically
sequenced and supported with relevant details and examples. Marks will be awarded
for good organization and correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.

As a former enslaved person and a deacon in a Baptist Church, you have agreed to give a
speech about the views of the opposing sides of the movement for the abolition of slavery. In
your speech, explain TWO reasons why enslaved Africans actively supported the movement
to end plantation slavery and THREE reasons why Caribbean sugar planters did not support
abolition.
Total 25 marks

Good morning everyone. I am here today to discuss a matter that has been in recent
talks for quite some time now; that is, the differing views on abolition of slavery between
planters and the enslaved. As we know, slavery has been ongoing for many years, and the
imperial government has finally considered its abolition. As I have been apart of the enslaved
and free society, I know the white man’s expla ins the reasons why enslaved Africans
actively support slavery’s abolition, and why the planters are against it.
The first and probably most obvious reason as to why the slaves want freedom, is due
to the harsh conditions under which they work. Slaves work from sunrise until sunset under
the hot sun, have to return to their poorly constructed huts in comparison to the white man's
adobe, aren't allowed to openly practice their religion, and receive clothes and food which are
poor in quality and meager in quantity. Furthermore, the white man is able to do as he pleases
with slaves, such as sell them to pay off his debt, divide families for breeding purposes or
force slaves to work overtime. Women especially have it hard, as when they are pregnant, the
try to get as much work from them as possible before the workload becomes too much. After
pregnancy, women tend to have little time to look after their children as they're constantly
working away in the fields. A second major reason as to why the slaves demand freedom is
due to the fact that many of the African born slaves knew what freedom was like before their
journey to the West Indies. It is completely unfair that a free person must be forced to go
through the many struggles and pains of slavery, just for the white man's benefit feels like it.
Despite these very solid reasons as to why the slaves support the abolition process, the
planters are still opposed to abolition, as they too have their reasons for their desired
continuity of slavery. Some of these include:
a) The fact that slavery already existed in Africa
b) That the slaves are being 'civilized'
c) Economic reasons, such as loss of investments

The first reason why the sugar planters are opposed to slavery is because they claim that
slavery already existed in Africa. They claim also, that the slaves are being civilized through
slavery, and that there is a parent/child relationship that would be destroyed if slavery were to
end. Personally, I remember my father’s story about how the Europeans invaded his village,
and his family was completely free before the Europeans came. I’m sure most of you have
heard similar stories. The planters’ final reason for opposing the abolition system that I will
discuss is for economic reasons, such as loss of investments. The planters fear that their
investments will be lost if slavery is to end.