FREE VILLAGES AND THE

PEASANTRY
PRESENTED BY: MARSHA BARRETT
What is a free village?
Free communities
where land was
owned by ex-slaves,
independent from
plantation control.
 Free villages across the Caribbean

Free villages were found mainly in Jamaica, British Guiana and Trinidad.

Examples are shown below:

Sligoville - Jamaica Antigua - Rock Hall Village

Sturge Town - Jamaica Wilberforce - Jamaica

Clarksonville- Jamaica Buxton- Jamaica

 Baptist Missionaries
such as Rev Phillipo
William Knibb , John
Development Clark and the Baptist
Western Union led the
of free villages
development of
peasant settlements in
Jamaica.
 A peasant is a small
farmer .

Crops Grown by They grew crops such as :

the Peasants in banana, coconut, coffee,
ginger, pimento, copra,
Free Villages cotton, limes, rice and
spices, arrowroot (cash
crops)
 Free expression of african
culture and a resurgence of
AFrican traditions.
Contributions of Education of peasant
the Peasantry children

Peasants communities
SOCIAL EFFECTS
promoted self help and
communities and became
centres of social and cultural
activities.
Contributions of Produce was an important
trade for both vendors and
the Peasantry purchasers, from St Vincent
and Grenada to Trinidad and
ECONOMIC EFFECTS from St, Lucia to Barbados
and from Nevis to St Kitts
and Antigua.
 Peasants diversified the
economy removing
Contributions of dependence on one or two
the Peasantry export crops.

Peasants in Trinidad
ECONOMIC EFFECTS
pioneered the cocoa industry
 Peasants reduced the
dependence on imported
food by starting local
markets which provided
Contributions of foodstuff and income for
the Peasantry vendors.

Peasantry created
ECONOMIC EFFECTS
employment for cultivators,
vendors, boat builders,
boatmen and their crews.