BUSSA WAS A SLAVE LEADER OF THE

BARBADOS REVOLT. HE WAS KILLED

WHILE FIGHTING THE REGIMENTS
THAT HAD BEEN CALLED OUT TO
SUPPRESS THE REVOLT. THE REVOLT
HAD BEEN PLANNED BY ENSLAVED
ARTISANS AND OTHER TRADESMEN,
INCLUDING SOME DOMESTIC SLAVES.
HE IS A NATIONAL HERO IN BARBADOS
Like thousands of his countrymen, he was
born a free man in Africa, but was captured
and brought to Barbados in the late 18th
Century as a slave.
Historians further claim that he was not a
young man since the Slave Trade was
abolished in 1807, and in general, it took
at least ten years for Africans to acquire
the language and managerial skills, in
addition to their masters' confidence, in
order to become a member of the elite slave
personnel on estates. Bussa, therefore,
apparently enjoyed such confidence and
respect.
On the plantation Bussa worked as a
domestic slave, a head-ranger at
Bayleys and did not experience the
intense hardships that the field
slaves endured. Domestic slaves
generally considered themselves above
the field slaves and some even
exposed plans of slave rebellions to
their masters in order to gain
favour. Bussa however, despite his
privileged position, helped to
plan for months in advance.


A SLAVE REVOLT IN 1816 LED BY THE SLAVE
BUSSA. IT IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE BUSSA
REVOLT. SLAVES IN SEVERAL PARISHES OF
BARBADOS REVOLTED JUST BEFORE EASTER IN A
BID FOR FREEDOM. THEY HAD BEEN MISTAKENLY
LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE SLAVE REGISTRATION
ACT WAS PROCLAMATION OF FREEDOM. BUSSA
WAS KILLED IN ACTION AGAINST THE TROOPS.
THE REVOLT WAS HARSHLY SUPPRESSED BY THE
MILITIA AND THE MAIN LEADERS HUNG AS AN
EXAMPLE TO THE OTHER SLAVES. THE REVOLT
WAS CRITICAL AS IT OCCURRED IN A COLONY
WHERE THERE WERE FEW REVOLTS(THE LAST
REVOLT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN 1649), THUS
DISPELLING THE IDEA THAT THE COLONY WAS
STABLE .
IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT AS IT
AGAIN PROVED CORRECT THE
ANTI-SLAVERYY ARGUMENT
THAT THE SLAVES WOULD
CONTINUE TO TAKE MORE
STRINGENT ACTIONS TO FREE
THEMSELVES FROM THEIR
INHUMANE EXISTENCE UNLESS
ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
CAUSES:
i. SLAVES BELIEF THAT
EMANCIPATION BEING WITHHELD.
ii. ACTIVITIES OF NON-CONFORMIST
MISSIONARIES.
iii. BARBADIAN PLANTERS REFUSAL TO
ACCEPT SLAVE REGISTRATION BILL.
CAIN DAVIS, J. SARJEFREE
COLOUREDS- WASHINGTON
FRANCKLYN(FRANKLINANT.
BLACKS AND SLAVES- BUSSA,
ROACH, JACKEY, RANGER,
MINGO.

14 APRIL- REVOLT STARTED BY BUSSA AND
JACKEY.
SPREAD TO ST.PHILLIP, ST.JOHN AND
ST.GEORGE. SIXTY BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
15 APRIL- EASTER MONDAY. MARTIAL LAW
DECLARED AT 1:30AM. REVOLT CRUSHED BY
COLONEL EDWARD CODD. BUSSA DIED IN
FIGHTING WITH 175 OTHERS. 214 EXECUTED,
INCLUDING FRANKLIN. 100 EXILED TO SIERRA
LEONE. A FIFTH OF THE SUGAR CROP
DESTROYED.