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January 12, 2020 January 12, 2020 Guest Author . Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante, The Rt. The Spaniards cam to Jamaica in 1494. He remained on the island for a year before returning to Spain. However, Jamaica never prospered as a Spanish colony. The Arawak were there to greet Christopher Columbus when he arrived in Jamaica in 1494, beginning a long period of European colonization there. Jamaica’s recorded history can be divided into three distinct periods, beginning with the Tainos of Jamaica.. When: Sugar and slavery both introduced by Spaniards in the 16th century, abolished in 19th century Key Facts: Mass battle of freedom from the Cameroons & other African slaves History today: Sugar is still the biggest export in Jamaica Early Jamaica. They had probably come from the country now known as Guyana, where Arawak Indians are still to be found. By 1750 the Scots accounted for one-third of Jamaica's white population. Rather than become slaves to new masters, vast numbers of Spanish slaves took this opportunity to join the Maroons in the hill country. The Arawak were there to greet Christopher Columbus when he arrived in Jamaica in 1494, beginning a long period of European colonization there. Soon Jewish settlers came to Jamaica, followed by migrant traders from the Middle East. The first Spanish settlement was called Sevilla la Nueva, New Seville. Facebook Twitter. But it was not occupied until Juan de Esquivel came from Santo Domingo in 1509. and for 146 years Jamaica remained a Spanish colony. In fact it was viewed as a burden and in 1512 there was a movement towards relocating the colony in Cuba. The Spaniards who came were baptised Roman Catholics. The Morant Bay Courthouse, which was destroyed by fire on Monday, February 19, 2007, is an important part of St. Thomas's history. Spanish Historic District Preservation Commission, Lillian's Restaurant & Ruins of Three Concrete Silos, The Rt. First, the question asks why Spaniards (or Europeans in general) would want to come to a place like the Caribbean. Columbus named the island as Santiago and used it as a mini-state for his family. When did they come? They also introduced th… However, with the hopes of great fortune in mind Columbus and his crew set sail for the island of Jamaica on the afternoon of May 3, 1494 and arrived on the island on the 5th. Jamaica was first colonized by a native group of South American origin who, in the early history of Jamaica, called their home a paradise of wood and water. From my knowledge they did not come willfully. It begins in 1494 with the arrival of Christopher Columbus , the first European known to have set foot on the island and covers the period of Spanish colonization up to 1655. The town was built in 1510. Many Tainos were also brutally murdered as sport which shows the extreme cruelty of the Spanish. Lebanese, like the Jews who had come centuries before, arrived in Jamaica by their own free will towards the end of the nineteenth century. Once the most numerous indigenous people of the Caribbean, the Taino may have numbered one or two million at the time of the Spanish … A NEW law in 1985 changed the name of the Jamaica National Trust Commission to the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and enlarged its functions... © Copyright 2011 Jamaica National Heritage Trust. However, the game of life isn't always as simple as it seems in fact their time in the New World wasn't a bed a roses. The Spanish enslaved the Arawak, who were ravaged further by diseases that the Spanish brought with them. In addition, Spanish ships were constantly under attack by the French, Dutch and English. As early as 1555 the French attacked the island, then the English, in 1597 under the leadership of Sir Anthony Shirley. The colony relied on passing ships for the trade of hides, and fruits. Out Of Many Cultures: The People Who Came: The Africans. Jamaica was not without its share. The Spanish established ranches on the southern plains, and were responsible for the introduction of cattle, pigs, chickens, horses, cats and dogs. The Spanish also came without women and as of such, often the Taino women were raped by the settlers. The Spaniards also set up a number of towns across the island. In return, the colonists were responsible for teaching the natives Christian principles, paying them wages and looking after their wellbeing. SHARES. They built the first synagogue in Port Royal but unfortunately, due to a great earthquake, it collapsed on June 7, 1692. a chic dining experience in Jamaica ’s trendiest restaurant or a get-away with fellow Dutch expats to discover the vicinity of Palisadoes sand spit. Early inhabitants of Jamaica named the land 'Xaymaca', meaning 'land of wood and water'. In the 1930’s, politics in Jamaica was born. The Spanish also transported hundreds of … The overriding ambition of the explorers was to accumulate a vast quantity of wealth at any cost, and then having fulfilled their dream, to return to Spain and live a life of luxury. They reached Jamaica via the Dominican Republic and soon absorbed the Saladoid culture into their own. Aarons 1983, p. 39). The arrival of the Spaniards in 1494 marked the beginning of drastic changes in the lifestyle of the Tainos as they were forced into servitude. 12589. Excellent Paul Bogl. The InterNations Ambassadors host regular get-togethers and a range of expat activities, e.g. Among the structures erected were a fort, a fortified castle and a Catholic Church. After a number of excavations it became clear that Jamaica had neither gold nor jewels to offer and this compounded the settler’s frustration. Jews were allowed to settle in Jamaica by the English after their capture of the Island in 1655. Taino, Arawakan-speaking people who at the time of Columbus’s exploration inhabited what are now Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. All together these groups created the diverse people of Jamaica today, to which we owe the national motto “Out of Many, One People’. From 1509 to 1655, what we know as Jamaica was called Santiago, a colony of Spain. The plant and cultivation of cassava, pumpkin, cashew, sweet potato, arrowroot, corn, cashew, coco, pineapple and yampi Jamaica has a vivid and painful history, marred since European settlement by an undercurrent of violence and tyranny. With the genocide of the indigenous population and the absence of any gold or jewels on the island the Spanish rendered the island as useless. After a number of excavations it became clear that Jamaica had neither gold nor jewels to offer and this compounded the settler’s frustration. These Jews came from Spain and Portugal. When the Spanish (in the form of Columbus's expedition) came to the Caribbean in the late 15th century, they were coming for "gold, God, and glory… Diego later appointed Juan de Esquivel, Governor of Jamaica. Jamaica was first colonized by a native group of South American origin who, in the early history of Jamaica, called their home a paradise of wood and water. 4105. Our Jamaica community is also lively and welcoming offline. These people came to be known as Maroons (from the Spanish cimarron, meaning ‘wild’, a word applied to escaped slaves). The site was abandoned in about 1524 as it was deemed unhealthy, and a new town, Villa de la Vega was built. At the time of the British conquest of the island in 1655, General Venables recorded the presence of many "Portuguese" in Jamaica. In addition to Jamaica, Spain also controlled many other islands in the same area, which they called the British West Indies. The arrival of Spaniards in Jamaica began in 1494, with the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the island in search of gold (as in Cuba and the Spanish, where he had reported the existence of the island, calling it Xaymaca, intending to say, in the indigenous language, "place of gold blessed"), but then discovered that there was no gold on the island. This was due to his ships being in a state of disrepair. The first 30 years of settlement saw the Tainos becoming almostextinct due to disease, slavery and malnutrition. In 1645 the British captured Jamaica from the Spaniards, whose former slaves refused to surrender, took to the mountains and repelled all attempts to subjugate them. Jamaican Jewish History. Since the arrival of the Spaniards in the New World other European countries constantly vied for control of their holdings. The Spanish, in response to their failures, decided to utilize the land to amass wealth using the indigenous people as forced labourers. When the English captured Jamaica in 1655, many of them fought with the Spanish who gave them their freedom and then fled to the mountains resisting the British for many years to maintain their freedom, becoming known as Maroons (Senior, 2003, p. 5 and 446). By the encomienda system, Spanish settlers were awarded a number of the indigenous people who would work for them. In 1655, the British conquered much of Jamaica, forcing the Spanish to flee to the northern coast. He then discovered the island of Cuba and it was there on that island that he learnt from the indigenous people of an island just south of them that was filled with gold and called 'Xamayca' now known as Jamaica. Their arrival bought about the introduction of the Roman Catholic faith to the Caribbean and indoctrination of all those who were under their rule. In 1508, Colombus' son Diego was appointed Governor of the Indies. All Rights Reserved. They left behind Jamaican-born Spanish and mixed race offspring when the British gained control of the island in the mid 17th century. Jamaica was a British colony. Colonel John Campbell, the first in a long line of Campbells (said to be one of Jamaica's most popular surnames) was a captain at Darien before settling in Jamaica, marrying well and becoming one of the island's gentry. To conceal their identity they referred to themselves as "Portuguese" and practiced their religion secretly. By 1598, less than half of the Taino population remained. In addition, he and his sailors founded some settlements, such as Santa Gloria (now St. Ann'… Spanish - After Columbus claimed Jamaica for Spain in 1494, other Spanish settlers came to the island, starting in the early 16th century. Jamaica - Jamaica - British rule: In 1655 a British expedition under Admiral Sir William Penn and General Robert Venables captured Jamaica and began expelling the Spanish, a task that was accomplished within five years. Columbus’s initial intention was to get to the East Indies by traveling west and thereby proving his theory that the world was circular, he however landed in the Caribbean. The Spanish, in response to their failures, decided to utilize the land to amass wealth using the indigenous people as forced labourers. (Source: G.A. By Ainsley Henriques. Caribbean Islands Table of Contents. If Spaniards were there, they were running plantations, but there were very few Spaniards in Jamaica. African - Spanish settlers brought their slaves with them from Europe. Some of these were Liguanea, Guanaboa, Esquivel (Old Harbour), Passage Fort, Oristan (Bluefields) and Ayala (Yallahs). How The Lebanese And Syrians Came To Jamaica… December 5, 2019 December 5, 2019 Guest Author . However, this was not the reality, in effect the native population was subjugated to years of enslavement. They were traded to become slaves to work on the sugar cane plantations across the Caribbean region. The first Africans to arrive came in 1513 from the Iberian Peninsula after having been taken from West Africa by the Spanish and the Portuguese. The island remained poor under Spanish rule as few Spaniards settled here. The Tainos enslaved the Saladoids, making them a labouring underclass that was denied Taino luxuries such as hammocks and cassava. Carrying an elaborate feudal commission that made him perpetual governor of all lands discovered and gave him a percentage of all trade conducted, Columbus set sail in September 1492, determined to find a faster, shorter way to China and Japan. However, many of the Spaniards’ escaped slaves had formed communities in the highlands, and increasing numbers also escaped from British plantations. On Columbus' fourth voyage to the New World in 1503, he sought refuge near a Taino village called Maima in Jamaica. Select a region to start exploring or search for a day out near you. They came in search of gold. By 1602, the Arawak tribes were extinct. Africans were traded from their home villages to slave masters for goods. How The Indians Came to Jamaica . Consequently, the island was used a supply base and its strategic position also helped in the conquest of the more fruitful island of Cuba. History Facts. He claimed the island for the King and Queen of Spain. In a brief account by Bartholomew de Las Casas in, Drawing depicting the destruction of the Tainos by the Spanish, including attacks by dogs, as shown in the upper left hand corner of the drawing. The discovery of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean served as a form of encouragement for Columbus to explore and find more islands. This was due … Our fast facts section about Jamaica is very informative. On Columbus' fourth voyage to the New World in 1503, he sought refuge near a Taino village called Maima in Jamaica. European settlements in the Caribbean began with Christopher Columbus. Jamaica was then inhabited by a gentle race of people called the Arawaks or Tainos. Consequently, not many Spaniards desired to settle in Jamaica at first, but the fertility of the land, which provided great yields in food production, and its strategic location, resulted in Spanish settlement in later years (Cundall, 2). Christopher Columbus arrived in Jamaica on May 6, 1494 in search of gold which he never found. Although there are very few Spanish structures remaining, there are a number of areas including rivers which maintain Spanish names such as the Rio Minho and the Rio Cobre. They fled because of the Spanish inquisition. when did the Spaniards come to Jamaica ? There he was greeted by the Tainos, who treated them as kings presenting them with peace offerings of cassava, fruit and fish not knowing that this initial interaction would be the advent of years of torture and mistreatment that would decimate their population so rapidly that would lead to their eventual demise. This ushered in a period of Spanish settlement which lasted from 1509 to 1655. Facebook Twitter. Christopher Columbus seeking permission from the King and Queen of Spain. The arrival of the Spaniards in 1494 marked the beginning of drastic changes in the lifestyle of the Tainos as they were forced into servitude. Jamaica served mainly as a supply base: food, men, arms and horse were shipped here to help in conquering the American mainland. Excellent George William Gordon & the Rt. Under the rule of the Spaniards the Taino population dramatically declined as a result of the combination of new diseases such as smallpox, and the ill treatment meted out to them by the colonists. The treatment of the Tainos were appalling, they were often overworked and underfed. You can download a list of declared sites and monuments. (Senior, 2003, p. 446). Although Jamaica was discovered in 1494, the first set of Spanish settlers came to Jamaica in 1509. Approximately 81,500 Indians live in Jamaica today, maintaining their own cultural organizations and roots but assimilated into the wider community. The Spanish later noted this … Jamaica was claimed for Spain by explorer Christopher Columbus in 1494. In 1655, the British ended a failed attempt to steal Santo Domingo from Spain by stealing the one island they didn’t care about enough to protect.I’m sure even fellow Jamaicans are wondering where I’m going with this, but after hanging around way too many Spaniards – and dating two – I’ve noticed a few things.Ricardo, Daniel, Emilio, Leo, Adrian, and Ian are all common Jamaican names. The colonists were involved in ship building and repairs. 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