Slavery in Jamaica, Tacky's Revolt, and the Declaration of Independence

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence · Nov 12, 2026 · 52m · transcript

with Andrew Sola and Dr. Natalie Zacek (University of Manchester)

"He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures." Grievance #11

This episode explores the institution of slavery in Jamaica and its effect on the 13 North American colonies.

Topics include the following:

-reasons why British troops--the standing army--were welcomed in Jamaica and the other British Caribbean islands

-Cromwell's conquest of Jamaica from Spain in the 1650s and its development into a profitable sugar island

-differences between the enslaved population in Jamaica and…