| Today, Jamaica is one of most favorite | | | | settlement and their slaves. In 1655, it was |
| vacation destinations for many travelers. | | | | captured by the British expedition led by |
| Visitors are fascinated by the rich history, | | | | Admirals Penn and Venables. The influence of |
| unique culture and comfortable climate. A | | | | the Spanish settlement on the development of |
| brief visit to the history of Jamaica is | | | | social, economic and political life of the |
| educational whether you plan to visit the | | | | island was insignificant apart from remnants |
| Island this year or in the future. | | | | of buildings on the Island - Spanish colonial |
| | | | architectural styles, and names of places |
| Arawaks Before the Arrival of Columbus The | | | | etc.. The island was not of significance for |
| history of Jamaica started long before the | | | | Spanish at the time. |
| arrival of Columbus in 1494. Jamaica island | | | | |
| was inhabited by Arawaks for hundreds of | | | | The Slave Economy A few years after |
| years or even more. They lived a simple life | | | | capturing the island, the British imported |
| in small community based on fishing, hunting, | | | | African slaves on large scale for sugar |
| and small scale cultivation. The arrival of | | | | plantations. Unlike the occupation by the |
| Spanish led by Columbus opened the door of | | | | Spanish, Jamaica brought prosperity to the |
| the island to the world, but the economic | | | | English plantation owners and many English |
| activities also brought new diseases that | | | | cities. Plantation dominated economic, |
| destroyed native Arawaks small communities in | | | | political and religious life on the Island. |
| a few decades. The trace of early Arawaks | | | | The laws supported the slave system as well. |
| life, today, can only be seen in a few | | | | In 1838, the slaves were freed and the |
| artifacts-facts displayed at the small museum | | | | plantations started paying wages to its |
| at White Marl. | | | | workers. After Emancipation, many of the |
| | | | ex-slaves settled down and cultivated as |
| The Spanish Occupation Between 1494 | | | | small farmers in the mountains. As the |
| and1655, the Spanish used Jamaica as a | | | | decline of sugar exportation, they began the |
| springboard for the conquest of the Americas. | | | | exports of logwood, coffee, and bananas. |
| The island was occupied by of the Spanish | | | | |