Barbados: History

Barbados history
Figure 1.--Neither Spain or Portugal colonized Barbadis, although the Piortuguese seem to have used it to obtain provissions after th long Atlantic crossing. The English began to settle it (1625). It was the first English colony in the Americas and became a valuable sugar island with plantations worked by slaves. t would be ruled by England for over four centuries. Princess Margaret visited Barbados during a trip to the Caribbean (1955). Here she is being greeted by school children.

The Arawaks are the first Native Americam peoples have left an important archeological record in Barbados. It is unclear how they found the island in their dug-out canoes. Barbados is situated in the Atlantic, well east of the Caribbean Arc. The most likely explanation is that they were engaged in oceanic fishing. There was a substantial fall in the population which is believed to be related to the Carib conquest (about 1200 AD) Columbus found the Island on his first voyage (1492). The Portuguese stopped at the Island on the way to Brazil. Neither the Spanish or Portuguese settled the Island. The Portuguese did introduce the pigs that the British later found wild. They also provided the enduring name of the Island--Os Barbados (the Bearded Ones), perhaps because of the island's native fig trees. Some time in the 16th century, the Caribs disapeared. It is unclear precisely why, but European diseases and Spanish slave raiding are probably cotributing factors. England was the first European country to settle Barbados which at the time was no longer occupied (1620). Barbados became the first British colony in the Caribbean. Early crops were tobacco and cotton. Dutch sugar planters expelled from Brazil by the Portuguese helped bring sugar cultivation to the Caribbean (1640s). Sugar planters largely deforested the Island. Large-scale planters came to dominate the economy. As a small number of planters came to dominate, the number of ladless whites increased (1650s).Sugar proved enormously profitable and became the dominant crop. Africans were imported in large numbers to work the sugar plantations as slaves. As a result, the population became predominantely black. Large numbers, perhaps 30,000 emigrated to other islands, spreading the sugar economy. Some went to North America. A slave revolt occurred (1816). The British abolished slavery throughout the Empire after an even more serious slave revolt in Jamaica (1834). The British used Barbados as the administrative headquarters of the Windward Islands, but made the Island a separate colony (1885). Barbados was a member of the Federation of the West Indies as Britain moved its Caribbean colonies toward independence (1958-62). Britain granted independence (1966). It has functioned as a stable parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth.

Pre-History

Not a great deal is known about the Amer-Indians which inhabited Barbados. We do know wherevthey originatd. One might think that they originated from Nirth Anerican Native American peoples in Florida which points at Cuba. Except for a small Cuban population, they dud not. They originated from South American Anmer-Indians livng along the northeastern coast. The Orionoco feeds into the Alantic at the base of the Caribbean Arc near Trinidad, the most sutherly of the Caribbean slands and at opoints cabn ve seen friom the mimlsnd. The Paria Peninsula also ponts at Trenidad. The people that settled the Caribbean from what is now eastern Venezuela are known as the Arawaks. And this included Barbados. At least the Arawaks are the first Native Americam peoples who have left an important archeological record in Barbados. It is unclear how they found the island in their dug-out canoes. Barbados is situated in the Atlantic, well east of the Caribbean Arc. The leaop from Trinidad to Barbados is far greater than the leap from the msilnd to Trinidad. The most likely explanation is that they were engaged in oceanic fishing which of course mean considerable boat building and navigational skills. There was a substantial fall in the population which is believed to be related to the Carib conquest (about 1200 AD). There is some difference of opinion among anthropologists as to the difference between the Arawaks and the Caribs. Terrible tales are told about the Caribs throughout the Caribbean accusing the Caribs of canilbilism, killing adult male Aeawaks and fattening the children for later consumption. To what extent these accounts are true or Spanish propaganda we are not sure. The Caribs eventually abandoned the island. We are not sure just why. But by the time Columbus discovered the island, it was uninhabited. There appears to be some difference of opinion on this. Some aiuthors report they dusappeared after the arrival of the Europeans.

Spain and Portugal (1492)

Columbus found the Island on his first voyage (1492), but made no effort to colonize it. There were many islands in the Caribbean and the Spanish only colonizzed a few. Unihabited iskabds were of little iunterest because there was no population to enslave. And without slave workers there was no way to exploit available resources. The Portuguese stopped at the Island on the way to Brazil. Portuguese explorer Pedro a Campos rediscovered the island en route to Brazil (1536). After a long oceanic crossing, it was a welcomed source of water and supplies. He named the island Los Barbados, meaning the 'Bearded Ones' possibly referring to the islands fig tree's whose long hanging aerial roots which had a beard like resemblance. The Portuguese also did not settle the island. It was west of the north-south line drawn by Pope Alexander VI to divide the New World between Portugal and Spain -- Treaty of Tordesillas (1494). Spain and Portugal adhered to the treaty without major conflict, and the results linger throughout the Americas today. The Portuguese did release pigs either accidentally or on purpose. Subsequent visits this had a source of meat. Some accounts say that Amerindias did not disappear before the aruival of the Europeans, but did disappear as a result of slave raiding and European diseases (16th century).

English Colony (1625-1966)

The Caribbean or Spanish Main was essentially a Soanish lake (16th cenbtury). Other Europeans powers began to challenge the Spanish (17th century). England was the first European country to settle Barbados which at the time was still not inhabited (1620s). At the time, the primary English interest was the Spanmish treasure fleets that sailed through the Caribbean. Captain John Powell landed and claimed the uninhabited island for England (1625). Two years later his brother Captain Henry Powell landed with a party of 80 settlers and 10 slaves. More settlers followed in their wake and population grew to about 2,000 (1628). Barbados became the first British colony in the Caribbean. The English were interested in gold and silver, but Barbados is a small island and it was soon evident that there no such resource. The colonists began planting tobacco and cotton with limited results. Dutch sugar planters expelled from Brazil by the Portuguese helped bring sugar cultivation to the Caribbean (1640s). This required, however, a substantial labor force. And to provide the needed labor, the colonists began to import captive Africans, at first from Portuguese and Sopanush slavers. Planhtations producing sugar cane plantations proved highly profitable. Sugar commanded high prices in Europe. The English made Barbados a Crown Possession (1663). And by this time the planters were thriving. Sugar planters converted all available land to sugar production. The island was deforested except for a few isolated areas not appropriate for sugar cultivation. Large-scale planters came to dominate the economy. As a small number of planters came to dominate, the number of ladless whites increased (1650s). Sugar proved enormously profitable and became the dominant crop. Africans were imported in large numbers to work the sugar plantations as slaves. As a result, the population became predominantely black. They were terriby treated. The death rate was high and Africans had to be constantly imported to maintain the work force. Conditions were not as bad as in St. Donminique (Hauiti), but they still terrible. The poor living conditions and brutal led the slaves to rebel (1816). It was supressed. The British already involved in supressing the slave trade abolished slavery throughout the Empire after an even more serious slave revolt in Jamaica (1834). The end of slavery only marginally improved their living standards. The land remained in the hands of the planters. The former slaves had few oportunities. Some stayed and worked on the plantations, receiviung basically subsistence wages. Others left and lived in Shanty Towns. Before the 19th century, sugar was an enormously valuable commodity making the planters rich. The economics of sugar had changed by the 19th century. The planters still made money, but sugar prices were a fraction of what they had been. A plantation worker no longer generated enrmous profits and thus were even if all the profits went to the workers could not support prosperous lives. The British used Barbados as the administrative headquarters of the Windward Islands, but made the Island a separate colony (1885). Barbadios was affected by the Great Depression (1930s). The econonic decline led to riots. Colonial officials established the British Colonial Welfare to improve living conditions and the quality of life. The sugar industry never revcovered, but is still important. After World War II the tourism industry started to take off and greadually replaced sugar as the major component of the islands economy. The British also began to give black reformers political roles. One of the key reformers, Grantley Adams became the first Prime minister and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Independence (1966)

Barbados was a member of the Federation of the West Indies as Britain moved its Caribbean colonies toward independence (1958-62). Barbados gained internal self government (1961). Britain granted ed full independence (1966). Barbadios became a Commonwealth country. Independence Day is celebrated on November 30. Barbados joined the United Nations (1967). the country has has functioned as a stable parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth since independence. Owen Arthur and the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) gained power (1994). Prime Minister David Thompson and the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) was elected (2008). Thompson died suddenly of pancreatic cancer (2010). The current Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart, took office after his death. Stuart anbd the DLP were reelected (2013).







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Created: 8:46 PM 8/10/2018
Last updated: 8:47 PM 8/10/2018