An anatomy of a slave society in transition : the Virgin Islands, 1807-1864
This study analyses the process of transition from slavery to freedom in the Virgin Islandsâ slave society. It draws on a database of over 9,500 enslaved people of African descent, covering the period 1818 to 1834. Including information on gender, age, births, deaths, runaways, manumissions, and owners of the enslaved, this database allows the most intimate and comprehensive analysis of changes in the social life of the slave population and immediate descendants within any single British Caribbean territory in the age of abolitionism and its aftermath. Few studies in Caribbean history have sought to go beyond the transition from slavery to freedom and more specifically, to explore the impact of the enslaved themselves in shaping their own history during this critical transition. This thesis seeks to do both by re-examining the history of the Virgin Islands from 1807 to 1864, underpinning the argument it presents with data drawn from slave registers, Colonial Office and Parliamentary papers, and other records. It is on these grounds that this thesis makes an original contribution to existing knowledge.
Smith, Angel
History
An anatomy of a slave society in transition : the Virgin Islands, 1807-1864. This study analyses the process of transition from slavery to freedom in the Virgin Islandsâ slave society. It draws on a database of over 9,500 enslaved people of African descent, covering the period 1818 to 1834. Including information on gender, age, births, deaths, runaways, manumissions, and owners of the enslaved, this database allows the most intimate and comprehensive analysis of changes in the social life of the slave population and immediate descendants within any single British Caribbean territory in the age of abolitionism and its aftermath. Few studies in Caribbean history have sought to go beyond the transition from slavery to freedom and more specifically, to explore the impact of the enslaved themselves in shaping their own history during this critical transition. This thesis seeks to do both by re-examining the history of the Virgin Islands from 1807 to 1864, underpinning the argument it presents with data drawn from slave registers, Colonial Office and Parliamentary papers, and other records. It is on these grounds that this thesis makes an original contribution to existing knowledge.
anatomy slave society transition virgin islands study analyse process transition slavery freedom virgin islands slave society draws database people african descent cover_period including information gender_age birth death owner enslave database allow intimate comprehensive_analysis change social_life slave population immediate descendant within_single british caribbean territory age aftermath study caribbean history seek beyond transition slavery freedom specifically explore_impact enslave shape history critical transition seek examining history virgin islands underpin argument_present data_drawn slave register colonial_office parliamentary paper record ground make_original exist_knowledge