Jamaica Research Paper

Words: 460
Pages: 2

Discovered by Christopher Columbus on May 5, 1494, Jamaica’s history is rich and beautiful. It is a land that was inhabited by the Arawak, also referred to as Tainos, who migrated to the island they called Xaymaca 2,500 years ago known today as Jamaica. The Arawaks were farmers who enjoyed growing fruits, vegetables, and tobacco. The latter was grown in abundance since it was used commonly for smoking, a beloved hobby. The Tainos settled down throughout all of the island throughout the coast and along the rivers which they used to fish which was a major part of their diet. Shortly after the arrival of the Spaniards, the Taino population was destroyed due to the diseases that were brought to the country by European settlers. The island remained poor under Spanish rule …show more content…
Fifteen years after Columbus’ initial visit, Spanish colonists settled in St. Ann’s Bay Area. The area remained a poor colony until the British invaded and took the island over in 1655. On May 10, 1655 Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables led a successful attack on Jamaica. The Spaniards did not stand a chance and so they surrendered to the English and immediately fled to Cuba. The English settlers only concerned themselves with growing profitable crops that could be easily sold back in England. Out of all the crops that were grown, sugar quickly became the main crop, which led to hundreds of plantations to sprout up across Jamaica in the 18th century. With the use of all these new plantations, there was much need for labor and that was when the slave trade boomed in Jamaica. The slave trade became very profitable for the English colonists. The slaves, however, were