ABSTRACT
In this second chronological chapter, I analyse how the colonial and federal governments moved from the subtle methods described in Chapter 1 to far more overt ones as the decades passed. By the mid-eighteenth century, Britain had defeated its foes in the Seven Years’ War, making it the supreme colonial power of its day. Similarly, the United States had strengthened as a country and was expanding westwards, most notably with its acquisition of the vast Louisiana Territory. These external events allowed the governments to attack the very identity of the Maroons and Creeks, most notably with the 1791 laws in Jamaica and the civilisation plan in the United States. These methods aimed to gain the total submission of the communities without either government having to resort to warfare. When environmental events, such as land exhaustion or famine, occurred, these were seized upon in the battle to further reduce these communities’ power. When unsuccessful, however, warfare was the final step.
