Benjamin McMahon facts for kids

Benjamin McMahon was an Irish writer and traveler from the 1800s. He is known for working on plantations in Jamaica and later becoming a strong supporter of ending slavery.

Who Was Benjamin McMahon?

Benjamin McMahon was born in Ireland. In 1818, he traveled to South America to join a group called the "British Legions," which helped Simón Bolívar in his fight for independence. After a year, in 1819, McMahon moved to British Jamaica.

Life in Jamaica

In Jamaica, McMahon worked as a bookkeeper, which is like an accountant, and also as an overseer on large farms called plantations. An overseer was someone who managed the daily work on these farms. He lived in Jamaica for 18 years and worked on 24 different plantations.

During his time there, McMahon saw the very difficult lives of the enslaved people. He began to speak out against the harsh ways they were treated. Because of his criticisms, he was unemployed for a while. He also took part in efforts to control a large uprising by enslaved people in 1831–1832, known as the Baptist War.

Becoming an Abolitionist

Over time, McMahon became a strong abolitionist. An abolitionist is someone who believes that slavery should be completely ended. He wrote a book about his experiences called Jamaica Plantership. This book shared what he had seen and learned about plantation life and the system of slavery.