The original name of the island was Xaymaca, which means “land of wood and water.” After Christopher Columbus discovered Jamaica in 1494, the native Arawak people were displaced and the island was colonized and used by the Spanish mainly as a supply base for food and weapons. In 1655, the British attacked Jamaica, and Spain eventually surrendered the island to England.
Under English settlement, pirating was rampant. Buccaneers eventually took control of Port Royal, a town that was known at the time as the “wealthiest and wickedest city in the world.” Sugar exports grew exponentially, and in order to keep up with the demand, enslaved Africans were taken to the island against their will to work in the plantations. There were many slave rebellions and confrontations until 1808, when the Abolition Bill was passed and slavery was finally outlawed.
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica gained independence from England. Even though it is a small island in the Caribbean, Jamaican culture has a strong global influence, specifically in music. Local genres such as reggae, ska, dub, and dancehall are famous around the world.
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