When
the slaves were made free, most of the rulers tried to keep them down. They
made the people pay a lot of taxes, and they punished them badly. They did
not give them fair trials in court. They did not think freed slaves should
get justice or opportunities. Bogle was a friend to the poor people. He
wanted to share their problems, and help them so they respected him.
Bogle's
neighbour was George William Gordon, a big landowner, and a politician
who cared about poor people. Bogle voted for him, and got other people
to do so. Gordon was a Baptist, and so was Bogle. In 1864 Gordon made
Bogle a deacon in the Baptist church so he became a religious and political
leader of the people.
Bogle
led a group of people from Stony Gut to Spanish Town to tell the Governor
about their problems but people in Stony Gut gave up hoping that the Government
would help them.
One
day, in 1865, two men from Stony Gut were on trial in the Morant Bay Court
House. Bogle and some of his people went to support them. A man called
out in the trial and the police tried to arrest him, but Bogle and his
men came between them. The man got away. The police went to Stony Gut
to arrest Bogle. But the people did not let them. They fought the police
and sent them back to Morant Bay.
Then
Bogle and his people marched to Morant Bay. They went to the Courthouse
where a council meeting was going on. Armed policemen and soldiers were
on guard. A fight broke out and the guards fired. About 20 of Bogle's
people were killed or hurt. The others drove the guards back into the
Courthouse and set fire to the building then killed people who tried to
run away.
Bogle
and his people went back to Stony Gut. The Government sent troops into
Portland and St. Thomas to stop people rebelling against the Government.
The troops shot and whipped many people. They burnt 1,000 houses. Bogle's
followers killed a few people and burnt some estates but they could not
really fight, because the soldiers were well trained and they had lots
of weapons.
The
troops destroyed Stony Gut, and Bogle's chapel. Bogle was captured and
taken to Morant Bay where he was put on trial. Then he was hanged at the
Court House. Four hundred and thirty-eight other people were also executed.
The
Morant Bay Rebellion of 1865 made the Government listen to the people.
It forced the Government to try to make life better for them by setting
up fair courts, making better roads and providing better education and
better medical services. So Bogle did not die for nothing.
Bogle
is a national hero because he did his best to help the people of our country.
He died for what he believed was right.
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