- Jamaica -
National Flag.

Green stands for hope and agriculture.
Black represents the hardships overcome and hardships yet to be faced.
Yellow represents natural resorces and beauty of the sunlight.

Hello Buddy.. Welcome to the Reggie Chill page.. First of all, I have a question for you. Do you know who discovered the continent of America? Well human buddy, if you answered Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) in 1492, you would be sort of correct, and sort of not.
It was actually the Vikings from Scandinavia who had first discovered Newfoundland in present day Canada, (about 100AD), and these were the first of the recognised European tribes to set foot upon the large American continent (North). But of course, these Vikings had no real idea as to where, in relation to the rest of the European map, and the world in general, that this land lay.
Even the Great Mr Christopher Columbus for that matter, who is credited with the 'first' discovery of the American continent, also had no real idea (and never did, even until his death) as to where the land area he had discovered with his initial expedition ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria was, and he did not realise it's geographical relationship with the rest of the known world at the time.

MY HISTORY NOTES PAGE
Jamaica.

On his very first voyage (of four) to this area, Christopher Columbus had actually found the island chain area now known as the Bahamas while in search of a new trade route to China and India, or the 'East Indies' as it was called then. He really thought that this area was in fact somewhere near India and was a part of Asia, because of this, he called the natives tribes that he found welcoming him 'Indians'. (It is interesting to note by the way, that the so called 'educated' peoples of Europe at this time had thought that the whole world was flat and that sailing in the direction that Columbus had chosen was sheer madness, as he would sail off the end of this flat world.)
So, the very first landing place by Columbus and his small expedition, representing European culture as a whole, was on an island far from the now 'American' mainland, in a place which was firstly named Guanahani, then to be christened by Christopher Columbus as San Salvador. The explorer then 'claimed' this 'new' land that he had found for the King and Queen of Spain.
(This would of course, had they realised it at the time, been rather disturbing for the peaceful native Arawak tribe, who had already long since discovered and lived both upon this island, and the American Continental mainland, long before the new visitors had claimed it for their own (since 900 AD). Much, like the Aborigine tribes of Australia, the 'discovery' of their dwelling lands by new and rather strange 'God' like visitors with their strange sailing vessels, would prove to be become an all out invasion and occupation by some of the quite aggressive European tribes that had explored their way across the planet and who would eventually seek to enslave the peoples already living peacefully within their home islands.)

In 1493-1494 on his second voyage, which was much larger and more of a colonisation expedition, Columbus explored further and discovered the island of Jamaica (Arawak for well watered), which is 90 miles south of the island of Cuba and he used this island as his family private estate.

In 1509 the island was fully colonised by the Spanish and the native Arawak tribe on the island suffered to the point of extinction from European diseases and enslavement by the new visitors. African slaves were brought to the island to work sugar plantations as the native Arawaks died out and through this method the island was re-populated.

In 1655 the British captured the island from the Spanish and made the island an important base in the Caribbean area. The British abolished slavery in 1838 and introduced Banana plantations, which along with sugar beet production plantations, 'employed' the ex African slave labour descendants who worked in these major industries in the region.The British, as the slave trade had evaporated, brought Indian and Chinese servants to the island thus increasing the working population rapidly.

In 1938 there was a general economic depression and rioting took place on this peaceful island. Mr Norman Manley formed the Peoples National Party.

In 1944 a constitution for the island was formed and the first free election process took place.

In 1958 Jamaica joined the West Indies Federation (a union of nine British territories) but only stayed until 1961 when a vote by the islanders rejected the membership.

In 1959 Self Government for Jamaica was achieved.

In 1962 the island achieved independence from Britain, but chose to remain within the British 'Commonwealth' of ex British Empire nations, with Mr Alexander Bustamante of the Jamaica Labour Party being the Prime Minister of Jamaica island government. (Queen Elizabeth the II of the United Kingdom, remains to date the nominal Head Of State.)