The Morant Bay Rebellion - Conditions in Jamaica in the 1860's

Bogles Response

Paul Bogle was a farmer, Baptist lay preacher and an election agent for George William Gordon, who was a spokesman for the poor people who had no vote and spoke against Governor Eyre and his policies. Paul Bogle led a delegation to see Eyre, who refused to see him. Gordon began to collect money to send a delegation to England. The governor told the Custos to send 8 policemen to arrest Bogle when he heard a rumour that he was forming an army to drive the Europeans out of the district. Bogle and his friends captured 3 of the policemen and sent them back with a message that they would to Morant Bay the next day and discuss injustices. Bogle and 300 other armed men were told not to enter and when they disobeyed a fight broke out and 27 people including the Custos were killed. Governor Eyre declared marital law. The militia and soldiers went on rampage searching for Bogle and the other men.

Short Term Consequences

After Bogles response some of the short-term consequences included that over 1000 peoples homes had been burnt to the ground, Gordon was arrested and was hanged on 23 October with no evidence that he had been involved. Bogle was also hanged. About 1180 black people were either flogged killed or hanged.

Long-Term Consequences

Some of the long-term consequences included that Eyre was recalled to Britain, at the end of the 19th century very limited democracy was restored and the British government realised that conditions had to be improved but still the islands income remained very low. To stop outbreaks of lawlessness children were given education which taught them that all Whites were superior and anything coming from Europe was much better than anything or anyone of African descent. Some families could not afford school fees so they were stopped to encourage more children to go to school. The councils did not mind when spending on education went down because of the continued strikes, riots, poverty and homelessness as they were only concerned for their own property and wealth. The plan of using education to stop rebellion had failed.