Answer to Question #268489 in History for Bitsy

Question

You are a new freed person on a British West Indies plantation who was an apprentice between 1834 and 1838. You have been asked to speak about your experience regarding the apprentice system to a committee of missionaries concerned about the welfare of ex enslaved persons in your speech examine five reasons why the apprenticeship system was unsuccessful and resulted in an early end in 1838

Answer 1

The Apprenticeship System was the name given to a scheme implemented between slavery and emancipation to prepare slaves to take on the responsibilities of freemen. The slaves' labour was to be lessened at this time, allowing enough time for training and conversion. In 1838, the slave system was abolished. This was because the slaves were not accustomed to being self-sufficient. Instead, they were regarded to require assistance and instruction in order to become free men and women. As a result, slaves became 'apprentices,' continuing to work for modest rates for their former masters.

On August 1, 1834, the Emancipation Act of 1833 went into effect. It was the last piece of legislation passed in the struggle to abolish slavery in British colonies. Slaves under the age of six were immediately emancipated under the new law. For up to eight years, older slaves were to be 'apprenticed.' Traditionally, an apprentice is someone who is hired by another person to learn a skill for four to seven years. In exchange for the labor they accomplish while learning, the apprentice usually receives board and accommodation. The term "apprenticeship" was used to describe the period of transition between slavery and freedom. The slaves were supposed to be 'learning' how to be free.

They worked for their old owner for three-quarters of the week, and the rest of the week they may work for others for a minimal wage. This time was designed to prepare the ex-slaves for their freedom at the completion of the apprenticeship, which would be in eight years. The scenario was remarkably similar to that of slavery. Plantation owners in the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Bermuda discovered that paying a daily wage was less expensive than feeding and housing their apprentices (ex-slaves). As a result, the plantation owners immediately released their slaves.

Ex-slaves were not significantly better off under the new system; therefore, the anti-slavery movement had not yet won the war to eradicate slavery. An anti-apprenticeship movement was launched. Petitions, as advertised in this banner, were a popular means for working-class and middle-class liberals to voice their support. To publicize the petition being circulated, this banner would have been hung from a window or balcony. The pressure exerted by the campaigners eventually paid off. Parliament voted for total emancipation (i.e., freedom from servitude) to begin on August 1, 1838. A total of 750,000 individuals were set free. Slaves might work as wage earners on the plantations if they so desired. The emancipated slaves, on the other hand, aspired to possess their own land and work for themselves. Many people in Jamaica left the plantations in pursuit of their own property to produce, and they took over unused land on the island. Where there was no empty land to cultivate elsewhere in the Caribbean, many people were forced to continue working on plantations for their old owner for meager wages.