Spanish Rule - Jamaican History (Part 2)

Within a decade of Columbus landing in Jamaica, the Spanish had conquered the island. The Arawaks/Caribs perished quickly from European diseases or were enslaved to work on Spanish plantations. Some were killed.

On the American mainland, slavery acted as a way to reconcile the dichotomous goals of gold and God. Jamaica lacked the gold, but there was potential to spread Christianity; as such, the Roman Catholics were unleashed and slaves were shipped from Africa to be Christianized. The slaves also filled the void of labor left over after the indigenous Arawaks perished due to internal conflict, disease and brutal conditions under Spanish slavery.

One of the ships carrying slaves was called Jesus. This has not been forgotten by some in Jamaica (like by the Rastas) and serves as an incredulous example of the wooly objectives of the missionaries and slave traders.

Even without gold, the Spaniards kept the island of Jamaica as an outpost for their New World Empire while it focused most of its energies on gold rich colonies like Mexico and Peru. They settled the island and imported sugar cane (from Asia), oranges, and bananas. They also brought goats, cattle and hogs. Another familiar Jamaican fruit, breadfruit was brought later by a planter, Captain Bligh from India for the slaves. One roasted breadfruit was (and still is) able to fill a worker for 2-3 days, making it an invaluable input for the planters.

Spain’s influence was felt across the world, but by the 1600’s it became apparent they were stretched too thin. Cracks began to show and the Dutch, French and British scored big. Britain firmly claimed Jamaica by 1655 after failing to capture modern day Haiti/Dominican Republic from the Spaniards and held Jamaica formally until 1962. The final push was led by the British naval Admiral, Sir William Penn (father of William Penn, the namesake of Pennsylvania, who was born in St. Thomas Parish, Jamaica).

Almost all of the Spaniards either surrendered or fled the island to Cuba in canoes (imagine eh? taking canoes around the Caribbean…I wonder if they used certified lifejackets). The Maroons, who consisted mostly of rebellious escaped African slaves, were the only ones who escaped the British on the island. They fled to the mountains and would harass the British for centuries (that’s quite a feat, really).

Britain did receive help in capturing the Island and from an unlikely ally. Pirates of the Caribbean were instrumental in helping consolidate British rule and were even granted authority under the Crown through the “Letters of Marque” to raid and plunder enemy vessels (British Enemy = French + Spanish).