Historyjamaica

History

In 1494 was the year Christopher Columbus came to the island for the first time. At that time there were about 100 000 peaceful Arawak Indians on the island, which had arrived about 700 BC. The Spaniards showed up from 1510, and began farming, mainly cattle and pigs. They also came with two things that really would come to affect the islands' future: sugar and slaves.

Investments and further profits began to grow from the production of cocoa, coffee and sugar cane. But with the British in constant war against France or Spain, was in control of the islands given to the pirates, a group which included political refugees and escaped criminals. They did everything to prevent the Spaniards. About the British supported or helped the Spaniards to drive them back, depended on whether the United Kingdom and Spain had just signed or broken the peace agreements.

But a lot of things have happened in Jamaica the last couple of years, so things have changed a bit.

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