History of Jamaica
Jamaica History
Jamaica’s ancient history is vague but it is known that before the arrival of colonisers from the west the island was populated by the Tainos a seafaring people that populated many of the islands in what is known today as the West Indies. The Tainos called the island Xamayca meaning land of wood and water.
In 1494 Christopher Columbus landed on the shores of the island and claimed it for Spain who in turn renamed it Santiago. The Spanish settled in what is today known as Spanish Town which became the capital of the island. Much of the Spanish occupation of Jamaica is not documented but it is known that they were dark times. The Spanish practically eliminated the native Taino population and then in 1517 brought the first African slaves to the island beginning one of the largest slave colonies of all time.
Jamaica under Spanish rule was the subject of many raids, Port Royal even became somewhat of a base for Pirates. Among these many raiders were the British who eventually conquered the island and later claimed rule in 1670.
Kingston 1820 - 1821
Jamaica became a valuable asset to the British who continued the Spanish tradition of Slavery on the island and reaped the financial rewards of the Sugar and coffe trade harvested by the slaves. With a phenomenal ratio of slaves to ‘White Masters’ there were many uprisings in Jamaica to the point that the British eventually in 1834 abolished slavery altogether. Much in fighting on the island ensued and in 1865 at the request of the people and administration Jamaica became a crown colony with the capital being moved to Kingston in 1872.
It wasn’t until 1962 that Jamaica finally achieved its independence with the election of its first prime minister, Alexander Bustamante of the Jamaica Labour Party.
History and Government
When Christopher Columbus landed in Jamaica in 1494, the island was inhabited by the gentle Arawak people. During 150 years of Spanish rule, the Arawaks were virtually exterminated, and African slaves were brought to the island. A British force invaded successfully in 1655, and Jamaica remained a British colony until 1962. The slave trade expanded during the 18th century.
Slavery was abolished by stages in the 1830s, and between 1839 and 1844 indentured laborers from India were brought in to replace the blacks, many of whom moved to the new free settlements that had developed in the hills. In 1865 there was an uprising, which the British governor Edward John Eyre repressed so severely that he was recalled and put on trial. In the 1930s Sir Alexander Bustamante—who later led the country to independence--was prominent in a vigorous labor movement. He founded the Jamaica Labour party, while his cousin Norman Washington Manley formed the People's National party.
Jamaica is a parliamentary democracy, with a lower house elected by universal suffrage and an appointed senate. It belongs to the Commonwealth, and the head of state is the governor-general, who is appointed by the monarch of England. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives.
In the late 1970s Jamaica moved toward closer ties with Cuba under Michael Manley, who was prime minister from 1972 to 1980. Under Manley the country was brought to the verge of economic collapse. After 1980 ties with the United States were strengthened with the election of the conservative Edward Seaga. During his term there were problems of overpopulation, limited resources, and inequitable distribution of land and wealth. Manley was again elected prime minister in 1989. A devastating hurricane in September 1988 caused widespread damage. Population (1990 estimate), 2,431,000.
For centuries, Jamaica has welcomed settlers from all around the world. This small island has played host to the Amerindians who discovered it, to Europeans who fought to own it, to Africans forced to call it home and to Asians, Indians and Middle Easterners searching for a better life. Each group carried with it a story and tradition, throwing everything into Jamaica’s melting pot. After centuries of brewing, all have blended together to give the island its rich history and heritage –an international smorgasbord of legends, cultures and customs, all displayed right here against the background of Jamaica’s beautiful mountains and valleys. Jamaica’s first inhabitants were the Tainos, an Arawak-speaking people, believed to be originally from South America. The Tainos called the island “Xaymaca” meaning “land of wood and water”. These peaceful, seafaring people greeted Columbus when he first visited the island in 1494.
Columbus described Jamaica as “the fairest isle mine ever eyes beheld…” His arrival marked the beginning of five hundred years of European occupation and governance. Initially, the Spanish settled near St. Ann’s Bay at Sevilla Nueva (New Seville), but eventually moved to Villa de la Vega, “the city on the plains”, now called Spanish Town. Their new city swiftly flourished, becoming the island’s centre of activity.
During the 1650s, the British captured Jamaica from the Spanish. In a last ditch attempt at defiance, the Spanish settlers freed and armed their slaves, who sought refuge in the island’s interior. The Maroons, as these ex-slaves came to be called, continuously defied the island’s new colonizers. The only army ever to defeat the mighty British, the Maroons still exist in modern day Jamaica.
Under British rule, Jamaica became a busy and wealthy colony. By the 18th century, the island was “the jewel of the British Crown”, producing 22% of the world’s sugar on large, lucrative plantations. This success came at great cost to the African people, thousands of whom were forcefully brought to the New World as slaves.
As a result of the cruel and oppressive slavery system, Jamaica had more revolts than other West Indian islands. Reports of frequent slave uprisings and other forms of resistance, coupled with brutal planter-militia reprisals, troubled the European conscience. In time, anti-slavery sentiments grew strong in Europe, culminating in the Emancipation Act of 1834. The Act made provision for all slaves under the age of six to gain immediate freedom. All others were to serve a period of apprenticeship for four to six years. The apprenticeship period worked well in theory. In practice, however, it was little better than slavery. Planters continued to abuse their apprentices, and withheld guaranteed provisions and wages. Subsequently, full emancipation was granted in 1838, two years earlier than planned.
Eager to sever connections with the symbol of their enslavement, many labourers left the plantation, settling across the island. To provide an alternative, affordable work force, the planters recruited indentured workers from China and India. After their period of indenture, a lot of Chinese and Indians stayed in the island, adding to Jamaica’s eclectic mix of cultures.
After 1838, sugar productivity and profitability declined, forcing Jamaica to diversify its economy. Although crops such as bananas and coffee provided sound substitutes, other industries eventually became the driving force of Jamaica’s economy, outgrowing agricultural exports.
Like the changing economy, Jamaican politics also transformed with the end of slavery. In 1866, the island implemented the crown colony system of government. Under this new system promises of education, health care and other social reforms gave hope to a newly freed generation. But decades later, social disappointment festered, leading to a spate of incidents of civil unrests, and heralding the birth of the trade union movement.
Out of these disturbances arose Jamaica’s foremost labour organizations and political parties. Norman Manley’s People’s National Party and Alexander Bustamante’s Jamaica Labour Party would go on to dominate Jamaica’s political scene into the 21st century.
Two important and significant changes – universal adult suffrage in 1944 and independence from Britain in 1962 –set the stage for a people once conquered, controlled and constrained, to become themselves the architects of a new nation.
History and People
The history of Jamican is quite apparent as can be seen with the mixture of cultures, dishes and plantations. As the original people, the Arawak, became extinct on this island, enslaved Africans were brought by the Europeans to the island to carry out the work. After slavery was abolished, East Indians and Chinese laborers were brought to continue on with the labor work in the sugar estates.