Establishment of sugar Growth of Port Royal
Plantations and Slavery
• Reflected efforts to increase England’s wealth and power • Port grew into the most important centre for trade in the
• Originally, Jamaica mainly produced some cocoa, coffee, tobacco Caribbean, not just for English, but for other European
• Prices of cotton & tobacco were falling in England, but sugar was massively popular. It was countries
used in food and added to tea and coffee. Coffee-houses v. popular. • This reflected English policy of mercantilism – to compete
• Large-scale sugar production using slaves was brought to Jamaica from Barbados. to take as much trade from its rivals as possible. In the
• Jamaica became centre of British sugar / slave trade that created fortunes. Planters became Caribbean this was the Spanish and the Dutch.
some of the wealthiest most powerful individuals in the empire e.g. Peter Beckford • The port provided everything that legal traders or dodgy
• They helped to build growing wealth of England. Cities like Bristol and Liverpool grew on the pirates or privateers could need. It helped England to
back of the profits of sugar/slavery. dominate the Caribbean economy and compete with its
• Slavery reflected European attitudes towards Africans – did not see them as equal as human economic rivals.
beings. They could be worked hard and brutally disciplined.
How did changes in Jamaica reflect events
and developments in Restoration
England?
Settlement of Buccaneers
The role of the King and
Royal Governors • Reflected England’s relations with the Dutch and Spanish which often
involved conflict.
• Buccaneers were invited in to help protect the island against the
Spanish by Governor D’Oyley.
• King wanted more money. Parliament would only give him so much.
• Modyford was told to kick out the buccaneers, but changed this in
• Colonies were another great potential source of wealth.
1665 when war with the Dutch began and Jamaica needed
• Charles II encouraged the sugar planters by using his personal power to
protection.
make them free from taxes in English ports (although he taxed them in • Encouragement of buccaneering reflected King’s need for money.
Jamaica itself)
They brought in money by attacking enemy ships and raiding towns
• A system of local government was set up with Royal-Governors brought in to
e.g. Cuba (1662), Porto Bello (1667), Panama City (1670).
represent the king’s interests • After Panama Raid, Morgan and Modyford got sent to Tower of
• The King imposed a tax raising system, using his own tax collectors.
London as Charles II had just made peace with Spanish!
• When relations with Spain became bad again in 1674, M&M were
reinstated and came back to Jamaica as heroes.
Strategic Value – Base for
Economic Value wars with Spain?
• Not of much value at first – some farming of cocoa,
tobacco cotton etc. • This was the main original reason when it was taken under
• This changed under Thomas Modyford (1664-71) who Cromwell in 1650s
brought in workers and slaves from Barbados. • Jamaica was located in the middle of the Caribbean - “a
• Jamaica had perfect climate for sugar production Note: Many of the same key dagger pointed at the heart of the Spanish Empire”. Key
• Jamaica became centre of Caribbean trade and extremely facts are relevant to a number Spanish islands and ports lay all around it. It was a
valuable to England. Only the port of Boston (N. of different questions! perfect base place to attack Spanish ships and raid
American colonies) was more important in the early colonies.
British Empire. • The greatest raids on Spanish empire e.g. Panama (1670)
were launched from there.
What was the main reason Jamaica
became an important colony?
Mercantilism?
The Buccaneers
• This was the dominant economic idea of the 17 th century.
People believed that the amount of money to be made
• They looked for opportunities to make money from attacking ships from trade was finite. Countries
and raid colonies. Even when wars ended, they often continued to • Jamaica was perfectly placed to become a centre for
launch raids and attacks. England to dominate trade in the Caribbean and
• They protected the island and allowed it to prosper outcompete its rivals.
• In return, they were allowed to base themselves in Port Royal – the • The growing economic value of Jamaica meant that it fitted
perfect base for preying on the Spanish in the Caribbean and perfectly into England’s mercantilist aims. It sucked in
North America. Port Royal became a ‘pirate city’ – the main pirate more and more trade and profit. Even England’s rivals
base in the Caribbean.
• Henry Morgan made massive amounts of money for the colony and
for the King.
Buccaneers?
Maroons?
• Safeguarded island against attacks from Spanish / Dutch, allowing its
• Attacked and raided settlements and sometimes freed slaves. De development as a prosperous English colony.
Serras was a major enemy of the English who had to fight • Morgan’s campaign against Maroons protected settlers.
military campaigns against them.
• Helped to make Port Royal the most important place in Jamaica and the
• Maroon attacks scared the white settlers. This encouraged the
adoption of the tough ‘Slave Code’ most important economic centre in Caribbean
• De Bolas’s Maroons allied with English and helped them fight • The wealth they brought in for the King made Jamaica v. important.
other Maroons. Maroons were driven into mountains by • Alliance between Morgan and Modyford was vital. Scared the Spanish!
Morgan Massive amounts of treasure were brought in by raids e.g. Porto Bello
• They survived as an important part of Jamaica’s population, but (1667), Panama City (1671).
didn’t change the development of the colony very much.
Which groups of people had the
most impact on Jamaica?
Governors?
Planters?
• Changed the geograohy of Jamaica. They took over and turned large parts of Some had big impact:
• D’Oyley (1657-62) defended Jamaica against Spanish. Invited buccaneers to
the island into plantations.
• Changed the population of the island. Brought in workers from Britain settle in Port Royal which became famous ‘Pirate City’.
• Windsor (1662-64) established a proper government for Jamaica
(mainly indentured servants), but switched to African slaves, as they were
better suited to climate, could be worked harder and brutally controlled. (governor / council / assembly). Brought in more planters and
• Planters generate extraordinary amounts of wealth, making Jamaica the encouraged buccaneer attacks on Spanish.
• Modyford (1664-71) - Probably most important. Used his knowledge of
probably most important English colony, even more so than the colonies
on the N.American mainland. sugar plantations in Barbados to turn Jamaica into an even more
• Became politically very powerful e.g. Peter Beckford and were able to resist prosperous sugar / slave economy and a vital part of England’s economic
power of royal Governors to limit their rights e.g. they stopped Earl of wealth and power. His alliance with Henry Morgan brought in lots of
Carlisle taking away powers of the Jamaica assembly. money from piracy and raiding.
• Some failed:
• Vaughan (1675-78) - sacked for corruption! Carlisle (1678-80) – failed to
impose more royal control over the island
King Charles II Its Location?
• He saw Jamaica as a good way of making money • Strategic position for war against Spain. Jamaica was located in
• He encouraged the sugar planters by using his personal the middle of the Caribbean - “a dagger pointed at the heart of
power to make them free from taxes in English port. the Spanish Empire”. Key Spanish islands and ports lay all
• He saw Jamaica as so important that he allowed around it. Perfect base to attack Spanish ships and raid
planters to continue to have lots of power to run the colonies.
island. Colonists in N.America were jealous of the • Lots of protected coves and natural harbours all round the island
advantages Charles II gave to Jamaica. for ships to land. – perfect for traders and privateers.
• However, his tax demands were resented by planters • Climate was perfect for growing sugar.
for damaging their profits.
What was the main reason for the
The Planters? success of Jamaica?
It’s Governors?
Some had big impact:
• Transformed the society and economy of Jamaica
• Brought in workers from Britain (mainly indentured The Buccaneers? • D’Oyley (1657-62) defended Jamaica against Spanish. Invited
buccaneers to settle in Port Royal which became famous
servants), but switched to African slaves, as they
‘Pirate City’ and a protection for the island.
were better suited to climate, could be worked • Safeguarded island against attacks from
• Windsor (1662-64) established a proper government for
harder and brutally controlled. Spanish / Dutch. Morgan’s campaign against
Jamaica (governor / council / assembly). Brought in more
• Generated extraordinary amounts of wealth, making Maroons protected settlers.
planters and encouraged buccaneer attacks on Spanish to
Jamaica the probably most important English colony, • Helped to make Port Royal the most important
keep Jamaica secure and make money.
even more so than the colonies on the N.American place in Jamaica and the most important • Modyford (1664-71) - Turned Jamaica into a prosperous
mainland. economic centre in Caribbean
sugar / slave economy and a vital part of England’s
• Became politically very powerful e.g. Peter Beckford • The wealth they brought in for the King made
economic wealth and power. His alliance with Henry
and were able to resist power of royal Governors to Jamaica v. important.
Morgan brought in lots of money from piracy and raiding
limit their rights e.g. they stopped Earl of Carlisle • Alliance between Morgan and Modyford was
and protected the island.
taking away powers of the Jamaica assembly. vital. Scared the Spanish! Massive amounts
• of treasure were brought in by raids e.g.
Porto Bello (1667), Panama City (1671).
