Slavery in the Danish West Indies
- Slavery in the Danish West Indies
In common with most Caribbean countries, slavery in the Danish West Indies, now the United States Virgin Islands, forms a major part of the history of the Territory. Danish slave trading posts were set up on the islands, and thousands of slaves were used to grow sugar cane to enrich the Danish.
Slavery, coupled with murder and disease, took a large toll on the indigenous inhabitants of the islands, the Arawaks and the Caribs. Several groups of Arawaks committed mass suicide rather than submit to foreign rule. By the late 17th century, the Arawaks had been completely exterminated and few Caribs remained.
With no native slaves left, the African slave trade began in 1673. The difficult conditions and inhumane treatment slaves were subjected to bred discontent. In 1733, a long drought followed by a devastating hurricane pushed slaves in St. John to the breaking point. Members of the Akwamu tribe from modern-day Ghana staged a massive rebellion, seizing control of the island for six months. The Danish, who controlled the island at that point, enlisted the help of French authorities from Martinique to regain control (see St. John Slave Revolt).
Another slave revolt in 1848 was more successful in the long run. The governor at the time, Peter von Scholten, faced with thousands of enslaved Africans with burning torches threatening to burn down the town of Frederiksted, freed the slaves even though it was against the wishes of the Danish Crown. He would later be jailed in Denmark by the Danish Crown for this action.
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