Barbados History

Barbados is a tropical paradise and is the eastern most Caribbean Island. The island itself is under one million years old and was created by the Atlantic crustal and Caribbean plates colliding into one another and a volcanic eruption. The island of Barbados is the result of two separate land masses merging together over the years.

The name Barbados may be Portuguese but today there is not much left of the Latin influence.

The very first inhabitants of Barbados were the Arawak Indians as it was in many Caribbean Islands. The Arawak Indians were driven out around 1200 AC, by Indians invading from Venezuela, who are believed by many to be the Carib Indians. This is how most history books interrupt the history of Barbados, however, new archaeological discoveries are beginning to rewrite the history of Barbados.

Artifacts that date back to 1623 B.C. have been unearthed at the Port St. Charles. It is now believed that the first people to arrive in Barbados were Amerindians that traveled from Venezuela. They are believed to have used long dugout canoes that could cross oceans and currents that might challenge modern sailing vessels.

The area in which these Amerindians lived was along the coast where a few artifacts has been found including such items as fragments of utensils, tools made from shells, and burial spots have been located. When all of this information is compiled and the unearthing of more interesting artifacts, information can be compiled to learn more of the true ancestors of Barbados.

The Carib Indians left the island on their own about the time the Europeans discovered these Caribbean Islands. Another account notes that the Carib Indians did not leave on their own but were used as slaves during the time that Spain had control over Barbados in 1492. It is believed that along with slavery, European small pox, and the tuberculosis the Carib Indians all died. Spain decided to leave this small island for larger Caribbean islands and Barbados was left uninhabited for years.

The first Portuguese explorer Pedro a Campos stopped on this island in 1536 on his way to Brazil. He was not interested in this particular island but decided it would be the perfect spot for a food source for voyages in the area, so he left pigs to populate the island. Campos named the island Los Barbados after the islands fig trees in which the long aerial roots reminded him of beards.

England’s Captain John Powell stopped on Barbados in 1625 and claimed the island for England. In 1627, John Powell’s brother, Captain Henry Powell along with 80 settlers and 10 slaves came to live on Barbados. This was the beginning of Jamestown, the first European settlement on Barbados, which is on the western coast and is now known as Holetown. By the end of 1628, Barbados had grown to a population of 2000.

The colonists cleared the land and planted cotton and tobacco. In the 1640’s sugar was planted in the fields and with the new crop needing more attention more African slaves were brought to Barbados. These were the first sugar plantation in the Caribbean area and their estates began to show immense profits. By the middle of the seventeen century, the merchants along with the plantation owners were thriving with sugar and its profits.

A Legislative Assembly was formed in 1639, making Barbados the second parliament established in a British colony. During Britain’s civil wars, Barbados remained loyal to the Crown, however after the be-heading of King Charles I in 1649, Oliver Cromwell invaded Barbados claiming his authority over the island. The invasion began in 1651 and by the next year Barbados did surrender and sign the Articles of Capitulation. This formed the Charter of Barbados. This charter gave Barbados the guarantee of new government with a governor, an elected assembly, and freedom from taxation without consent local consent. In 1660, The British Crown was restored. Barbados however, still held their charter and enjoyed independence from the English monarchy.

Emancipation came for the slaves in 1834, however, there was not much else for them to do except stay on and work at the sugar plantations. Many that left found themselves living in poverty worse than living as slaves. Their homes were nothing more than shanty towns and the only work was of course in the sugar fields.

During the depression of the 1930’s, unemployment was out of sight and living conditions were the worst. Riots were in the streets and devastation was everywhere. The British Colonial Welfare and the Development Office was created to give money to Barbados and other Caribbean colonies that were suffering from all the depression. Political unrest was on the rise along with the unrest of society. The British gave black reformers a role in the political process to try to appease the unrest of the Caribbean island under the Crown. Grantley Adams was one of the first reformers and he was the first black premier of Barbados who was ultimately knighted by the Queen.

In 1961, Barbados finally gained an internal self government and became completely an independent nation by 1966. Along with WWII, the sugar industry declines. This is when the tourist industry began to take control of most of Barbados aiding in the declining economy. By the 1990’s tourism was the largest industry with sugar taking a backseat.

From that time to the present Barbados has become one of the most sought after island vacations in the world with championship golf courses, resorts, year round sunshine and of course the magnificent beaches that draw people worldwide to enjoy the picturesque beauty of the Caribbean.