yardie's reggae collection
- history of jamaica
HISTORY OF JAMAICA An overview of the Jamaican history through its seminal events HISTORY OF JAMAICA: NINE PERIODS Note: The material of these pages is property of "The Gleaner Company Limited". 1. 1494-1692 COLUMBUS TO THE DESTRUCTION OF PORT ROYAL 2. 1692-1782 FOUNDATION OF KINGSTON TO THE BATTLE OF THE SAINTS 3. 1783-1807 RODNEY'S VICTORY TO THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE 4. 1808–1865 DECLINING IMPORTANCE- EMANCIPATION - MORANT BAY REBELLION 5. 1866-1913 CROWN COLONY GOVERNMENT 6. 1914-1962 WORLD WAR I TO 1962 GENERAL ELECTIONS 7. 1962-1971 POST-INDEPENDENCE 8. 1972-1983 POST-INDEPENDENCE 9. 1984-1993 POST-INDEPENDENCE The recorded history of Jamaica may be roughly divided into six periods: The first period may be said to date from Columbus’ arrival in the island in 1494 to the destruction of Port Royal in 1692. This covers nearly 200 years. But very little is known about the days when the Spaniards were masters of Jamaica. On the other hand, a good deal is known about the first fifty years of Jamaica as a British colony. The second period of our history extends from the destruction of Port Royal to the abolition of the slave trade in 1807. During this time Jamaica flourished as an agricultural colony and became very rich. It reached the height of its prosperity just before the slave trade was abolished; that is, just before the British Government decided that no more slaves were to be brought from Africa and sold as private property. The third period of Jamaican history covers the years between the abolition of the slave trade and the Morant Bay rebellion in 1865. During the 46 years between the abolition of the slave trade and the rebellion, the country passed through many misfortunes and there was a great deal of misery and ill-feeling among the different classes of people in the island. The fourth period dates from 1865 to the end of July, 1914. The fifth period began with the outbreak of the First World War on August 1, 1914 and ended on August 1962. The sixth period began on August 6, 1962, and records the history of Jamaica as an independent country. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Note: For a full comprehensive view of the history of Jamaica I suggest this reading: THE STORY OF THE JAMAICAN PEOPLE PHILIP SHERLOCK & HAZEL BENNETT IAN RANDLE PUBLISHERS, KINGSTON, JAMAICA, 1998