Maroons and the Jamaican frontier zones of the eighteenth century
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Greg Zugrave (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
- Advisor
- Paul Townend
Abstract: Throughout the eighteenth century, Jamaican maroons, or original bands of
runaway slaves, utilized frontier zones to maintain independence. Frontier zones were
desolate, unoccupied areas that no group fully controlled because of the harsh
environments. Jamaican maroon groups lived autonomously from the late seventeenth
century until the end of the eighteenth century, due to the inaccessibility of their villages
and an expertise in unconventional warfare. In 1739, treaties ended years of fighting with
the British colonists. The treaties damaged the frontier areas through the presence of
British officers, the maintenance of clear roads, and a requirement that granted the
maroons freedom for their collaboration. Despite the treaties, frontier zones remained
until the Trelawny maroon rebellion in 1795. This event marked an ending point in one
Jamaican frontier. Furthered colonization, along with added fears of widespread
rebellion, compromised the frontier areas surrounding the Trelawny community. Only in
frontier zones could maroons exist autonomously and apart from the rest of the colony.
As demonstrated by the Trelawny event, without surrounding frontier zones the maroons
held no place in social structure of colonial Jamaica.
Maroons and the Jamaican frontier zones of the eighteenth century
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Created on 1/1/2009
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- African diaspora--History, Fugitive slaves--Jamaica, Fugitive slaves--West Indies, Maroons--Jamaica, Slavery--Jamaica--History
- Subjects
- Slavery -- Jamaica -- History
- African diaspora -- History
- Maroons -- Jamaica
- Fugitive slaves -- Jamaica
- Fugitive slaves -- West Indies