Jamaica
History of Jamaica
Jamaica, meaning Land of Wood and Water, lies between North and South America in the Caribbean Sea. The original inhabitants were the Arawak Indians, also called Tainans. The first Arawak settlement in Jamaica was about 1,000A.D. They were a peaceful sea faring people. Today our only reminders are somber artifacts and words such as Tobacco and Canoe.
Christopher Columbus discovered Jamaica on his second voyage to the West Indies in 1494. He tried to land at what is now called St. Ann's Bay, but was driven off by fierce Indians. The next day he sailed down the coast to Discovery Bay, where the Indians eventually traded with him. Spanish settlers later enslaved and ill treated the Arawaks so that they soon all died out.
The Maroons, Spanish slaves who were armed and freed to help attack the English; lived in mountainous western Jamaica, known as Cockpit Country. From here a successful guerrilla warfare against the British was fought. Nearly 100 years later they were accorded a Treaty of Independence and, ironically, joined the authorities in hunting down runaway slaves.
The English under Admiral Penn and General Venables captured Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655. The island suffered attacks and repulsion's for the next 15 years. There was already slavery in Jamaica, but with the introduction of the sugar crop a large labour force of African was imported.
During the slave trade and the English/Spanish wars, Port Royal was the Headquarters of the most blood thirsty pirates. Henry Morgan and Captain Kidd were among the famous buccaneers. In this city of wealth there were run-away bondsmen, cast-a-ways, escaped criminals and refugees from all nations.
In 1692, Port Royal, developed by the English and known as one of the wickedest and richest cities of the world, was almost totally devastated by an earthquake. More than a quarter of the population of 8000 lost lives. The government abandoned the stricken port, and founded a new settlement across the harbour, soon to be known as Kingston.
The first Spanish settlement, Seville La Nueva in St. Ann's Bay dated 1510 was abandoned and moved to St. Jago de la Vega. Now known as Spanish Town. Kings House , built by the English in 1761 was the site where in 1838 the abolition of slavery was announced.
The Morant Bay Rebellion broke out in 1865 and ended with the hanging of George William Gordon and Paul Bogle. The English governor was dismissed as a result. 1838-1865 is called the Dark Age of Jamaica. The island's two hundred year old constitution was given up in exchange for a crown colony toward the end of 1865.
Road to Independence. In 1938 Alexander Bustamante led the people in revolt, protesting against extremely poor economic conditions. These upheavals resulted in lasting labour Unions and political parties. On the 6th of August 1962 Jamaica was granted a constitution making it an independent sovereign state.
Jamaica is rich in bauxite, bananas, sugar and coffee, the tourist Industry being a major contributor to the economy.
Headquarters for the International Sea-Bed Authority
Jamaica was chosen as the Headquarters for the International Sea-Bed Authority. The first attempt to define the Law of the sea was made in 1609. Ten no nation could claim sovereignty beyond its own territorial Sea, usually three miles, the distance traditionally thought as the range of a cannon.
This doctrine remained dominant for over 300 years. To modernize the Law of the Sea there have been recent numerous conferences, debates and modifications. These culminated in the signing of the convention of the Law of the Sea, which took place in Montego Bay, Jamaica in December, 1982.