The purpose of this essay is to present a history of the Maroons from their earliest rebellions to their present role in contemporary Jamaican society. Also of importance will be the conditions under which the Maroons received freedom the British and to what extent these conditions continue to persist in an independent Jamaica. A secondary purpose is to provide material and information which may contribute significantly to the dearth of printed expertise in this area. When the British captured Jamaica from the Spaniards in 1655, they failed to subdue numerous Negro slaves who were no longer content to be slaves. These slaves escaped from their plantations to become mountain dwelling fugitives. The name 'Maroon' was given to these fugitives, and for many years they harassed the British Colonial Government of Jamaica. Having tasted of freedom, these Maroons were determined, at any cost, to preserve it. Their major tactic may be described as the forerunner of modern guerrilla warfare. This type of warfare lent itself beautifully to the rugged terrain of Jamaica, much to the irritation of the British. The conflict between the British and the Maroons dragged on for many years. Not only was it becoming very expensive for the British but also their soldiers were growing weary. Finally in 1739 the British Government offered favourable terms of peace to the Maroons. The treaty of 1739 was broken once in 1795 and fighting broke out for approximately one week. Reconciliation was immediate and Maroon offenders of the treaty were exi1ed to Nova Scotia, Canada. Life in Nova Scotia was unbearable to these Maroons and in 1800 they were sent to Sierra Leone, Africa. The Maroons who remained in Jamaica coexisted peacefully with the British. However, they continue to live in their mountain villages enjoying the terms of the treaty of 1739. One of the primary problems involved in the writing of this essay was the difficulty in procuring information. For one reason or another scholars have never been highly motivated to take the time and effort necessary for such a study. Also, because of Jamaica's former colonial status, most important documents were kept in the British Museum or the Colonial Office in England. These documents which are not for publication must be observed and studied in their place of deposit. Another factor contributing to this difficulty is that access to the Maroon settlements is not easy, nor is the establishment of a relationship. In preparing the essay I contacted primary, secondary and tertiary sources for pertinent data. I spent the summer of 1968 collecting data in Jamaica and the U.S.A. After the collection of the data, they were assembled in a logical order to form the content of the text. Although the data were used to support my primary and secondary purposes, no conscious effort was made to interpret them. The conclusion contains recommendations which are very subjective. The findings of this essay pointed to the colourful role played by the Maroons in the history of Jamaica. The data seem to indicate that the great political victory, which had far reaching implications for the entire island, did not disseminate to the other areas of Maroon society, namely the social, political and economic. Consequently, the Maroons continue to enjoy their political freedom in a sub-culture which is very marginal.

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The account which is presented in this work constitutes, to the best of my knowledge, the first really comprehensive and reasoned history of trade union development in Jamaica. It is hoped, however, that the patient reader will find it much more than a history. Comparative studies suggest that there are certain characteristics (described in Chapter I) which are shared by nascent unionism in developing countries which enjoy at least a modicum of political democracy, notwithstanding the vast differences in their cultural, economic and political backgrounds. The unity amidst the sea of diversity centres around the leadership, ideology, politics and structure of the emergent trade unions. / fr

This thesis has explored the problems incurred by Oliver Cromwell in colonizing Jamaica during his rule as Lord Protector of England. It has also revealed that the Lord Protector's motives were influenced by friends and family members who had been involved in colonial endeavors twenty years prior to the Protectorate, 1653-1658.Additionally, the study has examined England's colonial and foreign policies from approximately 1620 to 1658. This examination has shown that Cromwell's foreign policy was connected to his colonial policy and was based on political, religious and commercial objectives. Cromwell's sense of empire motivated him to use the full force of his military government to gain control of the West Indies. Jamaica became the center of England's West Indian empire and England eventually replaced Spain as the dominant European nation in the Caribbean.

During World War II the rise of labor to political power in Jamaica, an English Colony since 1655, represented a new and dramatic development that necessitated political reform. In November 1944, the inauguration of limited self-government based upon the Westminster model of government, and for the first time in the history of Jamaica, on universal adult suffrage, brought the Crown Colony period to and end and placed Jamaica securely on the road to self-government. Like most British dependencies, Jamaica began a long period of tutelary democracy under British guidance to achieve statehood. From 1944 to full independence in 1962, periodic constitutional advances took place. By 1959, the island was self-governing with only defense and international relations referred to the Crown. / Master of Arts

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No description available.

This thesis attempts to chart the development of a Jamaican musical form known as dub. This development is considered primarily in terms of the island's encounter with a series of new playback, amplification, recording, and sound treatment technologies. Section I focuses on the formation of the Jamaican sound system (a network of powerful mobile discos) and its pivotal role in the birth of a fertile domestic record industry. Section II extends the investigation to the Jamaican recording studio and record industry. What distinguishes this work from others on Jamaican dub is its emphasis on technology, and theories of technology, within a geo-political framework. In Section I, this emphasis is most notably informed by the work of Harold Innis, Karl Marx and Lewis Mumford, with Marshall McLuhan and Walter Benjamin becoming more prominent in Section II. Key technologies in this analysis include mechanization (mechanical reproducibility), the Williamson amplification circuit, the House of Joy speaker, the dub plate (acetate phonograph) and vinyl record, twin-turntables and the microphone, the magnetic tape recorder, and perhaps most importantly, the multi-track recorder and interface (the multi-track mixing-board).

No description available.

No description available.