| The original Arawak or Taino people from | | | | lagged economically with its gross |
| South America first settled on the | | | | national product falling in 1980 to some |
| island between 1000 and 400 BC. Although | | | | twenty-five percent below the level |
| some claim they became virtually extinct | | | | previously obtained in 1972. Rising |
| following contact with Europeans, others | | | | foreign and local debt accompanied by |
| claim that some survived. Whatever the | | | | large fiscal deficits resulted in the |
| case the culture of the Arawaks are | | | | invitation of the International Monetary |
| deeply evident and rooted in the food | | | | Fund (IMF) financing from the USA and |
| they eat, some of the words used in the | | | | others, and the imposition of IMF |
| dialects, the cultural medicine they | | | | austerity measures (with a greater than |
| practise and the art culture which | | | | 25% interest rate per year). |
| remained and is now housed at the | | | | Economic deterioration continued into |
| British Museums. | | | | the early to the mid 1980s,(in a safe |
| Jamaica was claimed for Spain after | | | | but financially struggling country) |
| Christopher Columbus first landed there | | | | exacerbated by the closure of the first |
| in 1494. Columbus used it as his | | | | (Alpart) and third (Alcoa) largest |
| family's private estate. The British | | | | aluminium producers, significant |
| Admiral William Penn (father of William | | | | reduction in production by the second |
| Penn of Pennsylvania) and General | | | | largest (Alcan), the exit of Reynolds |
| Venables seized the island in 1655. | | | | Jamaica Mines Ltd from the Jamaican |
| During its first 200 years of British | | | | industry and reduced flows from tourism. |
| rule, post Spanish rule, Jamaica became | | | | During the 1980's Jamaica was still a |
| one of the world's leading sugar | | | | prosperous country and HIV free. [The |
| exporting nations and produced over | | | | exchange rate was still approximately 8 |
| 77,000 tons of sugar annually between | | | | USA dollars to 1 Jamaican dollar.] It |
| 1820 and 1824, which was achieved | | | | would be tourism in the 1980's that |
| through the massive use of imported | | | | would introduce HIV into Jamaica |
| African slave labour. When this wasn't | | | | (information can be found in the |
| enough the British imported Indian and | | | | countries health archives) and its |
| Chinese indentured servants in the early | | | | surrounding "super-powers" that would |
| 1800s that remained in Jamaica from then | | | | plunge the country into deterioration |
| until present day. Over it's 300 years | | | | further. While increased disease was |
| of slavery the majority of the | | | | being brought in and the wealthy were |
| population is visible African in | | | | leaving Jamaica, this period also |
| features while having some Euro-Asiatic, | | | | brought growth in the garment and |
| Afro-Middle Eastern and Native Indian | | | | tourism sectors (through American |
| roots and features, but undoubtedly a | | | | sweatshop labor and sex tourism) |
| unique culture combining all of its | | | | restoring growth averaging about four |
| slave and indentured population. | | | | percent per year in the last half of the |
| By the beginning of the 19th century, | | | | decade. Simultaneously its food economy |
| the United Kingdom's heavy reliance on | | | | was suffering as the US interrupted the |
| slavery resulted in blacks outnumbering | | | | monopoly of banana trade help the UK, |
| whites by a ratio of almost 20 to one, | | | | yet pulling out of its purchasing power |
| leading to constant threat of revolt. | | | | after interruption leaving the once |
| Following a series of rebellions, | | | | agricultural nation in more financial |
| slavery was formally abolished in 1834, | | | | strain. |
| with full emancipation from chattel | | | | Today there is an influx of Colombians |
| slavery declared in 1838. | | | | into Jamaica bringing increased cocaine |
| In 1945, Sir Horace Hector Hearne became | | | | smuggling. U.S. deportation of |
| Chief Justice and Keeper of the Records | | | | American-raised Jamaicans who commit |
| in Jamaica and sat in the Supreme Court, | | | | crimes in America has lead to increased |
| Kingston between 1945 and 1950/1951, | | | | violence in Jamaica and increase rise in |
| going on to become Chief Justice in | | | | gangs. The ultimate result of this cycle |
| Kenya. | | | | of violence, drugs and poverty has been |
| Jamaica slowly gained increasing | | | | the brutal gun warfare seen on |
| independence from the United Kingdom. In | | | | Kingston's streets from the mid-1990s |
| 1958, it became a province in the | | | | onwards. Since the 1990's Jamaica has |
| Federation of the West Indies, a | | | | had a reputation of being dangerous but |
| federation among all of the British West | | | | there are places in the island that |
| Indies. Jamaica attained full | | | | remain safe, unpolluted, and until now |
| independence by leaving the federation | | | | tourist free. |
| in 1962. | | | | The former capital of Jamaica was |
| Strong economic growth averaging about | | | | Spanish Town in the parish of St. |
| six percent per annum marked its first | | | | Catherine, the site of the old Spanish |
| ten years of independence under | | | | colonial capital. The Spanish named the |
| conservative governments led | | | | town Santiago de la Vega. In 1655 when |
| successively by Prime Ministers | | | | the British captured the island, much of |
| Alexander Bustamante, Donald Sangster | | | | the old Spanish capital was burned by |
| and Hugh Shearer. The growth was fuelled | | | | the invading British troops. The town |
| by strong investments in bauxite | | | | was rebuilt by the British and renamed |
| alumina, tourism, manufacturing industry | | | | Spanish Town. It remained the capital |
| and to a lesser extent the agricultural | | | | until 1872, when the city of Kingston |
| sector. However, the initial optimism of | | | | was named capital under questionable |
| the first decade vanished following a | | | | circumstances. |
| change in Government in 1972. Jamaica | | | | |