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Jamaica became a haven of privateers, buccaneers, and occasionally outright pirates: Christopher Myngs, Edward Mansvelt, and most famously, Henry Morgan. England gained formal possession of Jamaica from Spain in 1670 through the Treaty of Madrid.
Jamaica - Colonialism, Slavery, Independence: The following history of Jamaica focuses on events from the time of European contact. For treatments of the island in its regional context, see West Indies and history of Latin America.
Jamaica is an island country of the West Indies. It is the third largest island in the Caribbean Sea, after Cuba and Hispaniola. Jamaica is about 146 miles (235 km) long and varies from 22 to 51 miles (35 to 82 km) wide. The national capital is Kingston. Learn more about Jamaica in this article.
The island remained a possession of Spain, under the name Santiago, until 1655, when England (part of what would become the Kingdom of Great Britain) conquered it and named it Jamaica. It became an important part of the colonial British West Indies. Under Britain's colonial rule, Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter, with a plantation ...
The history of Jamaica is a rich and vibrant one; it inspires us to move forward as a nation. Our history speaks to experiences of hardships and prosperity; and the growth and determination of a people.
It was on August 6, 1962 that Jamaica achieved independence from Britain and for the first time raised its own flag. The island is the birthplace of Rastafarianism and the movement played a...
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica became independent with full dominion status within the Commonwealth, under a constitution that retained the British monarch as head of state. Bustamante assumed the title of prime minister. The following year Jamaica joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Learn about Jamaica's history of diversity and resilience, marked with important historical figures and the nation's independence in 1962.
The History of Jamaica. The Spanish were the first to bring sugarcane and slavery to the island. They ruled the land for a century and a half until they were defeated by the English in 1655. Slavery and sugar cultivation became Jamaica’s main trade, making the English planters incredibly wealthy.
In 1670 Spain formally ceded the island to Britain. Two years later the Royal Africa Company, a slave-trading enterprise, was formed. The company used Jamaica as its chief market, and the island became a centre of slave trading in the West Indies.