Jamaica
Arawaks from South America had settled in Jamaica prior to
Christopher Columbus' first arrival at the island in 1494. During
Spain's occupation of the island, starting in 1510, the Arawaks were
exterminated by disease, slavery, and war. Spain brought the first
African slaves to Jamaica in 1517. In 1655, British forces seized
the island, and in 1670, Great Britain gained formal possession. |
|
Sugar made Jamaica one of the most valuable possessions in the world
for more than 150 years. The British Parliament abolished slavery as
of August 1, 1834. After a long period of direct British colonial
rule, Jamaica gained a degree of local political control in the late
1930s, and held its first election under full universal adult
suffrage in 1944. Jamaica joined nine other U.K. territories in the
West Indies Federation in 1958 but withdrew after Jamaican voters
rejected membership in 1961. Jamaica gained independence in 1962,
remaining a member of the Commonwealth.
Historically, Jamaican emigration has been heavy. Since the United
Kingdom restricted emigration in 1967, the major flow has been to
the United States and Canada. About 20,000 Jamaicans emigrate to the
United States each year; another 200,000 visit annually. New York,
Miami, Chicago, and Hartford are among the U.S. cities with a
significant Jamaican population. Remittances from the expatriate
communities in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada,
estimated at up to $1.6 billion per year, make increasingly
significant contributions to Jamaica's economy. |
|
