The History of Jamaica Since The Arrival of Columbus In 1494...This website would not be complete without a little history of Jamaica!
I always find it interesting to know what happen in my country long before I was born...and bhoy! I have to say that when I read about some of the things that took place, I know one thing for sure, I definitely would not want to be alive in those times. I am like the "Maroons." I would prefer to die than live under those conditions...I am talking about slavery! Them really treat black people like animals! Anybody who go through all of that with a smile is good. Not Me! Them would have to kill me. Anyway, let me cut to the chase and try to paint the picture of what went on down here long long time ago... Columbus 2nd Voyage To the Islands The first time he came, he was looking for gold. Even though he did not find any, he somehow manage to capture a piece of Hispaniola. The people who live on the island at the time were very ignorant! They had no clue of Columbus' intention...so they let him in in peace.
What he did at the time was to colonize a small piece of the island and went back to Spain...I guess he had some pressing issues to deal with over there. Anyway, before he went back, he left some men to take care of his new found "property." When he reach back to Spain, he told the King and Queen about his "success," make a deal with them and set sail again for the Caribbean. This time, however, he brought with him 17 ships and 1200 colonists...he had BIG plans! He intended to strengthen himself on Hispaniola and look for more land. So, he carried a whole lot of cargo...he took horses, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cats, chickens, grain, seed, and anything else he could find for sailing, fighting, building and setting up his colonial administration. Little did he know that he was about to affect the history of Jamaica.
On his way back, he was little nervous, because he did not want any other voyager to discover his potential "goldmine." So...he sail back as fast as he could. When he reach back to Hispaniola, he got the shock of his life! All the men that he left, were killed and buried in shallow graves! That did not stop him from setting up "shop" on the island again and then go looking for other lands...so he did.
Jamaica Found When he did, he went in, took control and went back to Spain. Fourteen years later in 1509, Juan de Esquivel came back to the island and complete the occupation. For the next 146 years, Jamaica was under Spanish occupancy. You would think that would affect the final history of Jamaica but it did not. Nobody on the island today, speak Spanish because later on the British would come and drive them from the land and take over. Anyway... when he came here, people were already here...the Taino Indians. It seemed, though, that these people were very weak, because Columbus easily came in, made friends with them and later enslaved them and killed them off.
When they died, the Spanish turn their attention to the African slave trade! Everything went well until 1655 at which time the British came in and drove them off the island. Admiral, William Penn and General Venables came and quickly took possession with his military advantage and send them packing. Some of them went to Cuba (that's why they speak Spanish today) and others quietly slip to the northern end of the island.
The Formation of the Maroons That's when the Maroons were formed. These slaves fled to the interior hills of the country, and made a vow among themselves that they would not go back in slavery. For years, they fought off the British, who tried everything within their power to capture and enslave them, but could not.
Between 1655 and 1692, jamaica prospered, politics dominated, the house of assembly was form, and several govenors ruled the colony. On june 7, 1692, Port Royal the chief city of Jamaica at the time, famous for its riches, politics, extravagance,beautiful stone built homes, and reckless lifestyle was destroyed by earthquake. In 1831, one of biggest slave uprising took place on the western end of the island. A bunch of slaves were killed along with some plantation owners. But this was just the beginning of a push for abolition, which would eventually come after years of bloodshed... Return from HISTORY OF JAMAICA to JAMAICAN TRADITIONS Homepage
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They say if you are ignorant to the past, you are doom to repeat its failures!...something like that!
