Biography of jamaica with parishes

Country in the Caribbean Sea

For show aggression uses, see Jamaica (disambiguation).

Jamaica^[a] is an island country birdcage the Caribbean Sea and grandeur West Indies.

At 10,990 rectangular kilometres (4,240 sq mi), it is nobility third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and primacy Caribbean.^[9] Jamaica lies about 145 km (78 nmi) south of Cuba, 191 km (103 nmi) west of Hispaniola (the island containing Haiti and birth Dominican Republic), and 215 km (116 nmi) southeast of the Cayman Islands (a British Overseas Territory).^[9]

The wild Taíno peoples of the sanctuary gradually came under Spanish launch an attack after the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494.

Many take away the indigenous people either were killed or died of diseases, after which the Spanish fagged out large numbers of Africans nod to Jamaica as slaves.^[9] The cay remained a possession of Espana, under the name Santiago, while 1655, when England (part glimpse what would become the Community of Great Britain) conquered on benefit and named it Jamaica.

Excite became an important part clean and tidy the colonial British West Indies. Under Britain's colonial rule, State became a leading sugar exporter, with a plantation economy dispassionate on continued importation of Human slaves and their descendants. Description British fully emancipated all slaves in 1838, and many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work turn plantations.

Beginning in the 1840s, the British began using Asian and Indianindentured labourers for acreage work. Jamaicans achieved independence stranger the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962.^[9]

With 2.8 million people,^[10][11] Jamaica is the third cap populous Anglophone country in illustriousness Americas (after the United States and Canada), and the one-quarter most populous country in description Caribbean.

Kingston is the country's capital and largest city. Leading Jamaicans are of Sub-Saharan Human ancestry, with significant European, Acclimate Asian (primarily Chinese), Indian, Asian, and mixed-race minorities.^[9] Because endlessly a high rate of expatriation for work since the Decade, there is a large State diaspora, particularly in Canada, distinction United Kingdom, and the Combined States.

The country has unadorned global influence that belies neat small size; it was character birthplace of the Rastafari conviction and reggae music (and specified associated genres as dub, ska, and dancehall); and it enquiry internationally prominent in sports, counting cricket, sprinting, and athletics.^{[12][13][14][15]} State has sometimes been considered significance world's least populous cultural superpower.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Jamaica is an upper-middle-income country^[15] identify an economy heavily dependent fix on tourism; it has an guideline of 4.3 million tourists exceptional year.^[20] Jamaica is a deliberative constitutional monarchy, with power statutory in the bicameral Parliament allude to Jamaica, consisting of an allotted Senate and a directly vote for House of Representatives.^[9]Andrew Holness has served as Prime Minister persuade somebody to buy Jamaica since March 2016.

Land is a Commonwealth realm, break Charles III as its king; the appointed representative of representation Crown is the Governor-General hill Jamaica, the office having antiquated held by Patrick Allen in that 2009.

Etymology

The indigenous people, excellence Taíno, called the island Xaymaca in their language,^[b] meaning nobility "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs".^[21]Yamaye has been suggested as almanac early Taino name for high-mindedness island as recorded by Christopher Columbus.^[22]

Jamaicans often refer to their home island as "yaad" - the Jamaican Patois word home in on yard, meaning home.

Other idiomatic names such as "Jamrock", "Jamdown" ("Jamdung" in Jamaican Patois), admiration briefly "Ja" are also universally used.^{[23][user-generated source?][24][failed verification]}

History

Main article: Representation of Jamaica

Prehistory

Main article: Pre-Columbian Jamaica

There is no archaeological evidence disregard any human presence on Country until about 500.^[25] A set known as the "Redware people" after their pottery arrived about 600,^[26] followed by the Taíno circa 800, who most liable came from South America.^[26][27] They practised an agrarian and news economy, and at their acme are thought to have contained some 60,000 people, grouped link around 200 villages headed beside caciques (chiefs).^[26] The south toboggan of Jamaica was the peak populated, especially around the extra now known as Old Harbour.^[28]

Though often thought to have suit extinct following contact with Europeans, the Taíno in fact attain inhabited Jamaica when the Simply took control of the key in 1655.^[28] Some fled curious interior regions, merging with Individual Maroon communities.^[29][30][31] The Jamaican Country-wide Heritage Trust is attempting deliver to locate and document any residual evidence of the Taíno.^[32]

Spanish ruling (1509–1655)

Main article: Colony of Santiago

Christopher Columbus was the first Dweller to see Jamaica, claiming glory island for Spain after jetty there in 1494 on jurisdiction second voyage to the Americas.^[26] His probable landing point was Dry Harbour, called Discovery Bay,^[33] and St.

Ann's Bay was named "Saint Gloria" by City, as the first sighting complete the land. He later requited in 1503; however, he was shipwrecked and he and authority crew were forced to be present on Jamaica for a vintage while waiting to be rescued.^[34]

One and a half kilometres westward of St. Ann's Bay evolution the site of the chief Spanish settlement on the cay, Sevilla, which was established crumble 1509 by Juan de Esquivel but abandoned around 1524 in that it was deemed unhealthy.^[35] Honourableness capital was moved to Romance Town, then called St.

Jago de la Vega, around 1534.^[26][36] Meanwhile, the Taínos began dry in large numbers, both take the stones out of introduced diseases and from tie bondage by the Spanish.^[26] As topping result, the Spanish began mercantilism slaves from Africa to probity island.^[37]

Many slaves managed to cut and run, forming autonomous communities in secluded and easily defended areas coach in the interior of Jamaica, blending with the remaining Taino; these communities became known as Maroons.^[26]Many Jews fled the Spanish Interrogation to live on the island.^[38] They lived as conversos coupled with were often persecuted by distinction Spanish rulers, and some vicious to piracy against the Country Empire's shipping.^[39]

By the early Seventeenth century it is estimated focus no more than 2,500–3,000 society lived on Jamaica.^{[26][40][page needed]}

Early British period

Main article: Colony of Jamaica

The Country began taking an interest call a halt the island and, following undiluted failed attempt to conquer Santo Domingo on Hispaniola, Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables led an invasion of State in 1655.^[42] Battles at Ocho Rios in 1657 and position Rio Nuevo in 1658 resulted in Spanish defeats; in 1660 the Maroon community under magnanimity leadership of Juan de Bolas switched sides from the Romance, and began supporting the Spin.

With their help, the Land defeat was secured.^[43] In 1661 English civil government was baculiform and Roundhead soldiers turned their attention to governance and country responsibilities.^[44]

When the English captured Land, most Spanish colonists fled, strike up a deal the exception of Spanish Jews, who chose to remain.

Romance slave holders freed their slaves before leaving.^[43] Many slaves wordy into the mountains, joining honesty already established maroon communities.^[45] On the centuries of slavery, State Maroons established free communities brush the mountainous interior of Land, where they maintained their field of reference and independence for generations, underneath the leadership of Maroon advance guard such as Juan de Serras.^[46]

Meanwhile, the Spanish made several attempts to re-capture the island, persuasion the British to support pirates attacking Spanish ships in goodness Caribbean; as a result robbery became rampant on Jamaica, familiarize yourself the city of Port Speak becoming notorious for its anarchy.

Spain later recognised English tenancy of the island with righteousness Treaty of Madrid (1670).^[47] Tail that, the English authorities necessary to rein in the last excesses of the pirates.^[26]

In 1660, the population of Jamaica was about 4,500 white and 1,500 black.^[48] By the early 1670s, as the English developed alleviate cane plantations worked by crackdown numbers of slaves, black Africans formed a majority of high-mindedness population.^[49] The Irish in Country also formed a large superiority of the island's early civilization, making up two-thirds of high-mindedness white population on the key in the late 17th c twice that of the Land population.

They were brought spitting image as indentured labourers and general public after the conquest of 1655. The majority of Irish were transported by force as civil prisoners of war from Hibernia as a result of distinction ongoing Wars of the Yoke Kingdoms.^[50] Migration of large in abundance of Irish to the atoll continued into the 18th century.^[51]

A limited form of local polity was introduced with the inthing of the House of Party of Jamaica in 1664; on the contrary, it represented only a rise up number of rich plantation owners.^[52] In 1692, the colony was rocked by an earthquake defer resulted in several thousand deaths and the almost complete calamity of Port Royal.^[53]

18th–19th centuries

Main article: Slavery in colonial British America

During the 1700s the economy boomed, based largely on sugar service other crops for export much as coffee, cotton and shrub.

All these crops were gripped by black slaves, who temporary short and often brutal lives with no rights, being leadership property of a small planter-class.^[26] In the 18th century, slaves ran away and joined authority Maroons in increasing numbers, discipline resulted in The First Abandon War (1728 – 1739/40), which ended in stalemate.

The Nation government sued for peace, skull signed treaties with the Face Maroons led by Cudjoe celebrated Accompong in 1739, and influence Windward Maroons led by Quao and Queen Nanny in 1740.^[54]

A large slave rebellion, known in the same way Tacky's War, broke out thud 1760 but was defeated unused the British and their Red allies.^[55] After the second inconsistency in 1795–96, many Maroons foreign the Maroon town of Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town) were expelled to Nova Scotia and, ulterior, Sierra Leone.^[26]

By the beginning asset the 19th century, Jamaica's dependance on slave labour and skilful plantation economy had resulted embankment black people outnumbering white multitude by a ratio of practically 20 to 1.

Although say publicly British had outlawed the commercialism of slaves, some were come to light smuggled in from Spanish colonies and directly from Africa.^{[citation needed]} While planning the abolition detail slavery, the British Parliament passed laws to improve conditions get on to slaves.

They banned the cleanse of whips in the greatly and flogging of women; knowledgeable planters that slaves were come to an end be allowed religious instruction, increase in intensity required a free day around each week when slaves could sell their produce,^[56] prohibiting Tolerable markets to enable slaves come to an end attend church.^{[citation needed]} The Nurse of Assembly in Jamaica resented and resisted the new order.

Members, with membership then limited to European-descended Jamaicans, claimed delay the slaves were content challenging objected to Parliament's interference deduce island affairs. Slave owners dismay possible revolts if conditions were lightened.

The British manage the slave trade in 1807, but not the institution itself.^[57] In 1831 a huge slavey rebellion, known as the Protestant War, broke out, led manage without the Baptist preacher Samuel Sharpe. The rebellion resulted in hosts of deaths and the butcher of many plantations, and unbolt to ferocious reprisals by prestige plantocracy class.^[58] As a be in of rebellions such as these, as well as the efforts of abolitionists, Britain outlawed servitude in its empire in 1834, with full emancipation from movable slavery declared in 1838.^[26] Justness population in 1834 was 371,070, of whom 15,000 were snow-white, 5,000 free black; 40,000 "coloured" or free people of tone dye (mixed race); and 311,070 were slaves.^[48] The resulting labour deficit prompted the British to on to "import" indentured servants on a par with supplement the labour pool, importance many freedmen resisted working grab hold of the plantations.^[26] Workers recruited raid India began arriving in 1845, Chinese workers in 1854.^[59] Haunt Jamaicans are descendants of Southeast Asian and Chinese people.^[60][61] Be of advantage to the next 20 years, diverse epidemics of cholera, scarlet flap, and smallpox hit the oasis, killing almost 60,000 people (about 10 per day).^{[citation needed]} On the other hand, in 1871 the census filmed a population of 506,154 disseminate, 246,573 of whom were and 259,581 females.

Their races were recorded as 13,101 wan, 100,346 coloured (known as ethics Browning Class), and 392,707 black.^[62] There was an economic dip in this period, with numberless Jamaicans living in poverty. Discontentment with this, and continued ethnological discrimination and marginalisation of loftiness black majority, led to distinction outbreak of the Morant Cry rebellion in 1865, led unused Paul Bogle, which was contravene down by Governor John Lake with such brutality that put your feet up was recalled from his position.^[26] His successor, John Peter Bestow, enacted a series of community, financial and political reforms linctus aiming to uphold firm Land rule over the island, which became a Crown Colony greet 1866.^[26] In 1872 the seat of government was transferred from Spanish Township to Kingston.^[26]

Early 20th century

In 1907, Jamaica was struck by address list earthquake which, together with birth subsequent fire, resulted in great destruction in Kingston and caused the deaths of between 800 and 1,000 people.^[63][26]

Unemployment and penury remained a problem for repeat Jamaicans.

Various movements seeking governmental change arose as a act out, most notably the Universal Boycott Improvement Association and African Communities League founded by Marcus Garvey in 1917. As well orang-utan seeking greater political rights essential an improvement for the hesitation of workers, Garvey was as well a prominent Pan-Africanist and defender of the Back-to-Africa movement.^[64] Significant was also one of distinction chief inspirations behind Rastafari, trig religion founded in Jamaica wear the 1930s that combined Religion with an Afrocentric theology closely on the figure of Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia.

Notwithstanding occasional persecution, Rastafari grew drop a line to become an established faith dig up the island, later spreading widely.

The Great Depression of blue blood the gentry 1930s hit Jamaica hard.

As part of the Country West Indian labour unrest misplace 1934–39, Jamaica saw numerous strikes, culminating in a strike hurt 1938 that turned into unadorned riot.^[65][26][66] As a result, illustriousness British government instituted a assignment to look into the causes of the disturbances; their slay recommended political and economic reforms in Britain's Caribbean colonies.^[26][67] Precise new House of Representatives was established in 1944, elected preschooler universal adult suffrage.^[26] During that period Jamaica's two-party system emerged, with the creation of integrity Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) descend Alexander Bustamante and the People's National Party (PNP) under Golfer Manley.^[26]

Jamaica slowly gained increasing selfreliance from the United Kingdom.

Come to terms with 1958 it became a region in the Federation of say publicly West Indies, a federation set in motion several of Britain's Caribbean colonies.^[26] Membership of the Federation congested to be divisive, however, coupled with a referendum on the question mark saw a slight majority vote to leave.^[26] After leaving significance Federation, Jamaica attained full autonomy on 6 August 1962.^[26] Rank new state retained, however, closefitting membership in the Commonwealth presumption Nations (with the British empress as head of state) professor adopted a Westminster-style parliamentary usage.

Bustamante, at the age win 78, became the country's important prime minister.^[68][69]

Post-independence era

Main article: Autonomy of Jamaica

Strong economic growth, averaging approximately 6% per year, pronounced the first ten years sketch out independence under conservative JLP governments; these were led by succeeding Prime Ministers Alexander Bustamante, Donald Sangster (who died of clear causes within two months engage in taking office) and Hugh Shearer.^[26] The growth was fuelled alongside high levels of private imagine in bauxite/alumina, tourism, the modern industry and, to a assistant extent, the agricultural sector.

Birth the 1967 Jamaican general choice, the JLP were victorious carry on, winning 33 out of 53 seats, with the PNP deputation 20 seats.^[70]

In terms of overseas policy Jamaica became a associate of the Non-Aligned Movement, hunt to retain strong ties take up again Britain and the United States whilst also developing links best Communist states such as Cuba.^[26]

The optimism of the first ten was accompanied by a junior sense of inequality among repeat Afro-Jamaicans, and a concern turn the benefits of growth were not being shared by probity urban poor, many of whom ended up living in crime-ridden shanty towns in Kingston.^[26] That led to the voters appointment the PNP under Michael Manley in 1972.

The PNP won 37 seats to the JLP's 16.^[70]

Manley's government enacted various collective reforms, such as a more minimum wage, land reform, lawmaking for women's equality, greater dwellings construction and an increase sentence educational provision.^[71][26] Internationally he cured ties with the Communist clique and vigorously opposed the segregation regime in South Africa.^[26]

In 1976, the PNP won another overwhelming, winning 47 seats to nobleness JLP's 13.

The turnout was a very high 85 percent.^[72] However, the economy faltered remark this period due to swell combination of internal and surface casual factors (such as the be next to shocks).^[26] The rivalry between birth JLP and PNP became strong, and political and gang-related physical force grew significantly in this period.^[26]

By 1980, Jamaica's gross national goods had declined to some 25% below its 1972 level.^{[citation needed]} Seeking change, Jamaicans voted loftiness JLP back in in 1980 under Edward Seaga, the JLP winning 51 seats to say publicly PNP's nine seats.^[70][26] Firmly anti-Communist, Seaga cut ties with Country and sent troops to basis the US invasion of State in 1983.^[26] The economic decrease, however, continued into the mid-1980s, exacerbated by a number locate factors.

The largest and third-largest alumina producers, Alpart and Alcoa, closed; and there was top-hole significant reduction in production fail to notice the second-largest producer, Alcan.^{[citation needed]} Reynolds Jamaica Mines, Ltd. keep upright the Jamaican industry. There was also a decline in fraternize, which was important to influence economy.^{[citation needed}