 During the late 17th and 18th centuries, the British tried to capture the maroons because they occasionally raided plantations, and made expansion into the interior more difficult.An increase in armed confrontations over decades led to the First Maroon War in the 1730s, but the British were unable to defeat the maroons.They finally settled with the groups by treaty in 1739 and 1740, allowing them to have autonomy in their communities in exchange for agreeing to be called to military service with the colonists if needed.