Major Events in Jamaican History

1865The
Morant
Bay
Rebellion
broke out
after
prolonge
d
disputes
between
the
planters
and the
settlers.

1655The
English
captured
the island
from the
Spaniards
and
colonized
the
territory.

1494Christoph
er
Columbu
s
discovere
d the
island.

1509The
Spaniards
occupied
the
country
and
remained
in
possessio
n for 146
years.

1838Slaves
were
emancipa
ted and
the
economy
foundere
d due to
the crisis
on the
plantatio
ns.

1870- An
export
trade in
bananas
replaced
the
predomina
nce of
sugar and
restored
the islands
economy.

1866Crown
Colony
Government
replaced the
old system
of
representati
ve
government.

1959The
country
was
granted
full
internal
selfgovernm
ent.

1958Jamaica
joined
the
federatio
n of the
West
Indies,
which
was an
associati
on of 10
British
Island
territories
in which
Jamaica
and
Trinidad
were the
largest.

1962- The
Federation
was
dissolved
and Jamaica
became
independent
on August
6th.

1961Jamaica
voted in
a
Referend
um to
secede
from the
Federatio
n of the
West
Indies
and to
achieve
Independ
ence.