Vashishes Readings

RED – Kavel
Black – Vashish
Blue – Andre
Green – Deven
Yellow - Isa

Afternoon

Group … will be presenting a map based on the European History of Jamaica.

Original Occupiers
The earliest people of Jamaica are believed to be the Arawaks, also called the
Tainos. They came from South America about 2500 years ago and named the
island Xaymaca, which meant “land of wood and water”.

The Arawaks were light brown in colour, short and well-shaped with thick,
black hair.
They grew crops such as cassava, cotton, and maize. Tobacco was very popular
and therefore was often smoked for leisure.
Villages were dispersed across the island, but most settled on the coasts and
near rivers as fishing was a major part of their life and diet.

The Arawaks led quiet and peaceful lives until they were destroyed by the
Spaniards some years after Christopher Columbus discovered the island in
1494.
On May 4, 1494, Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Jamaica on his
second voyage to the West Indies. Columbus had originally heard about
Jamaica, then called Xaymaca, from the Cubans who described the island as
“the land of blessed gold”. He was amazed by the attractiveness of St. Anns
Bay and named the place Santa Gloria.

Spaniard Settlement in Jamaica

On arrival at St Ann’s Bay, Columbus found the Arawak Indians occupying the
island who they thought were initially hostile since they attacked his men
when they tried to land on the island.

Determined to invade the island in the name of the king and queen of Spain,
find gold, as well as collect wood, water, and repair his ships, Columbus was
not discouraged.

He sailed down the coast and docked at Discovery Bay. The Arawaks there
were also but their attitudes changed when they were attacked by a dog from
one of the Spanish ships and Columbus’ crossbow men.

Many Arawaks were tortured and killed by the Spaniards. They were so
overworked and ill-treated that within a short time they died. There were also
European diseases which resulted in more deaths since the Arawaks had no
immunity.

The Spaniards took control of Jamaica and used the island as a supply base for
food, men, weapons, and horses to aid in conquering the American mainland
as they realized there was no gold on the island.
Spanish Colonists
Fifteen years later in 1509, the first Spanish colonists came to Jamaica under
the Spanish governor Juan de Esquivel. They first settled in the St. Ann’s Bay
area, the first town was called New Seville or Sevilla la Nueva.

The only town that was developed was Spanish Town, the old capital of
Jamaica, then called St. Jago de la Vega. It was the centre of government and
trade and had many churches and convents.

The little attention the colony received from Spain soon led to a major reason
for internal conflict which contributed to the weakening of the colony in the
last years of Spanish occupation. Frequent attacks by pirates also contributed
to the colony’s woes.

The English Attack

On May 10, 1655, Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables
successfully attacked Jamaica. The Spaniards surrendered to the English, freed
their slaves, and then fled to Cuba. It was this set of freed slaves and their
descendants who became known as the Maroons.

The early period of English settlement in Jamaica, drew much attention to the
buccaneers based at Port Royal. Buccaneers were wild, rough, and ruthless set
of sea rovers who took loot of gold, silver, and jewels to Port Royal.

Port Royal

Port Royal prior to this time was an insignificant town in Jamaica. Under the
buccaneers’ leadership the town, within a decade and a half, grew to become
known as one of the “wealthiest and wickedest city in the world”.
Henry Morgan

The greatest buccaneer captain of all was Henry Morgan. He started out as a
pirate and later became a privateer. Morgan mercilessly raided and attacked
the Spanish fleet and colonies. Morgan was knighted by king Charles II of
England and was appointed Lieutenant governor of Jamaica in 1673. Morgan
died in 1688.

A violent earthquake destroyed Port Royal on June 7, 1692. The survivors of

the earthquake, re-settled in Kingston. Port Royal became an important naval
base in the eighteenth century.

The Maroons
The Maroons, who were ex-slaves, settled in the mountains of Jamaica and
engaged in exhausting Maroon Wars with the British from 1720-1739, and
1795-1796.

British capitulated and signed peace treaties with the Maroons, enabling them
to remain free and self-governing until slavery was abolished in the British
Commonwealth in 1834

Indians’ settlement in Jamaica

Indians came to work as indentured labourers in Jamaica in 1845. On the first
ship, SS Blundell, 261 Indians arrived at Old Harbour Bay on May 10, 1845. The
Indians arrived as indentured labourers between 1845 and 1917.

The Indians came to Jamaica to earn a "fortune" for starting a better life back
in India.

Chinese settlement In Jamaica

The first, and smallest, wave, of Chinese migration occurred between 1854 and
1886 when Chinese labourers were imported for plantation work. The second
wave, between 1900 and the 1940's, was primarily an immigration of
businessmen. The third wave consisted of Chinese immigrating to Jamaica
since the 1980

Morant Bay Rebellion

There was poor government on the island under the leadership of Governor
Eyre, the desperate economic conditions of most people on the island, and the
high prices of bare necessities all led to thrusting the blacks of Jamaica to the
breaking point which commenced 11th October 1865

In the aftermath of the Morant Bay rebellion, the Governor of Jamaica, Edward
John Eyre, ordered extensive and harsh reprisals against Black Jamaicans in the
county of Surrey under a period of martial law.

Jamaica 1st step to self-government

Legal amendments were brought to Jamaica, in January 1884, by the new
Governor, Sir Henry Wylie Norman. The amendments brought limited change
permitting the election of only 9 members of the Legislature. This limited
change further angered the Jamaican reformers who had sought more liberal
changes.

Thank you

Trivia Time!!!

Who was the greatest Buccaneer captain of all and would later be appointed
governor of Jamaica in 1673?
ANSWER: Henry Morgan