🎄MERRY CHRISTMAS🎄

Today, in 1831.

Over 60,000 Jamaican Slaves, led by one man, go on to carry out one of the largest Slave Rebellions in West Indian history.

The 11-Day battle that no one talks about.

The Baptist War: The Christmas Rebellion

[History Thread]

During the 19th century, Jamaica was essentially used as one large plantation by the British.

Most, if not all of the Black residents were enslaved. In fact, Slaves outnumbered Whites 12:1 on the island.

Racial tensions were at all time highs.

Rumors began to circulate around the island that emancipation was on the way for the slaves.

A rumor created by Baptist missionaries to try to pacify the slaves and to thwart any revolts.

The truth, once realized, only angered the slaves even further.

Christian & Baptist missionaries thought their religion would essentially keep the slaves in check.

What they didn't count on was the slaves taking their Christianity and mixing it with Afro-Jamaican religion called "Myalism".

If you're knowledgeable about Jamaican culture and slang, then you would be familiar with the term "Duppy".

This term originates from the Myal Religion, and is believed to be one of the two souls a human gets when they are born into the world.