The first people to settle Jamaica were the Tainos,in c.e. 700 , who came from somewhere around the Amazon. They used boats to get to Jamaica, and they planted and harvested many casava,yams, beans, and spices. They didn’t write, but they were good potters, carpenters, and carvers. In 1494, Columbus discovered Jamaica and claimed it for Spain. The Spanish made the Tainos work as slaves, but eventually the diseases brought by the Spaniards killed them all.They had to get slaves from Africa to use them for labor after the Tainos died.
In 1655, he English took over Jamaica, although small groups of Spaniards and runaway slaves kept up a guerrilla warfare.By 1662 there were 4,000 colonists on Jamaica. They began to make profits from selling cocoa, coffee, and sugarcane plantations. In the 1700s, the British sponsored buccaneers to pillage and plunder England’s rivals. The buccaneers became a powerful and ruthless force feared even by the English.The Jamaican governer tried to stop them, but the pirates settled in Port Royal, where they multiplied quickly. A massive earthquake toppled Port Royal in 1692, and more than 2,000 people died. The rest fled inland.
The English slave traders became wealthy from selling slaves. The slaves
were imported from Africa, and those who survived the 6-12 month passage were oiled to look healthy. Escaped slaves formed a band and were called Maroons. The English tried to annihilate them in 1729, but the Maroons held the upper hand until they signed a peace treaty that promised them 1,500 acres if they returned all runaway slaves. By 1700 there were 40,000 slaves in Jamaica, and by 1800 there were 300,000 of them. Many were worked to death, but sometimes they saved enough mony to buy their freedom. Many slaves tried to revolt and escape but none of the revolts were successful, and many were whipped and hanged. One Jamaican governer expressed such brutality to slaves that he was stripped of his office, and slaves had more rights than before. On August 6, 1962, Jamaica became independent.
Jamaica’s new flag had 3 colors. Black ( for the people ), green ( for the land ), and gold ( for the sun ).
I downloaded the picture of the boy with the bananas because I wanted to get a closer look at his feet. You can see he has long toes and his second toe appears to be really sticking out there past his big toe. I gotta tell you. That long second toe of his is really frickin cute and he has some very good looking feet. Luv those toes LOL!
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