As Europeans established their colonies ,their societies also became segmented along religious and racial lines.Most people in these societies were not free ,they labored as servants or slaves,doing the work required to produce wealth for others.By 1700,the American Continent had become a place of stark contrasts between slavery and freedom,between the haves and have nots.
Africans resisted slavery and running away was common.In Jamaica and other places, groups that resisted recapture and started a living from the land,rebuilding their communities, as best as they could.When possible, they adhered to traditional ways, following spiritual leaders such as Vodun priests.