Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Caribbean History Practice Exam

The still-house played a vital role on an 18th-century sugar plantation, primarily functioning as the facility where rum was distilled. The rum-making process began with the byproducts of sugar production, particularly molasses, which was left over after sugar extraction. The still-house contained large copper stills that heated the molasses to produce steam, thereby separating alcohol from the other components.

This process not only utilized materials that might otherwise be discarded but also added significant economic value to the plantation. Rum became an important commodity, not just locally but also in transatlantic trade, often exchanged for enslaved people or other goods. Hence, the still-house was central to the plantation's economy by transforming sugar byproducts into a profitable beverage, making it distinctly different from the functions of producing sugar, grinding cane, or storing molasses, which were essential processes but did not involve the distillation of alcohol.