Faces of Money: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Note shown: Samuel Sharpe, 50 dollars, 1988, Jamaica
Sam Sharpe was the main leader of the 1831 Slave Rebellion which
began on Jamaica and eventually resulted in the abolition of slavery
throughout the British Empire.
Sam Sharpe was a "daddy" or leader of the native Baptists in
Montego Bay. Religious meetings were the only permissible form of
organized activity for slaves in Jamaica.
Sam created a plan for passive resistance in 1831, by which the
slaves would refuse to work on Christmas Day and afterwards until their
grievances were addressed by their owners and managers. Sam used a
network of fellow slaves to pass on his plan throughout much of
Jamaica.
When word of the plan reached the ears of the planters, troops and
warships were sent to control the slaves and it soon became clear
that the plan for non-violent resistance was impossible and
impractical.
Armed rebellion followed, but the uprising was put down by the first
week of January.
Fourteen whites died during the Rebellion but more than 500 slaves
lost their lives - most of them as a result of the trials
afterwards.
Samuel Sharpe was hanged on May 23, 1832.
In 1834 the Abolition Bill was passed by the British Parliament and
in 1838 slavery was abolished.
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