On May 3, 1494, Christopher Columbus sighted the island of Jamaica. Spanish colonists settled on the island fifteen years later, when the British landed on the soar of Jamaica they made a treaty with the maroons ( which is a place in Jamaica, ) because they had: coffee, cocoa, ginger, cotton, cattle, hogs and goats. For the rest of the country 60,000 out of  300,000 got enslaved and were focused to harvest sugar because back then sugar was worth a lot. The Baptist War, also known as the Sam Sharp Rebellion, the war lasted 10 days starting on December 25th 1831 and ending January 4th 1832. But unfortunately the Slaves were defeated do to the British having more men and guns. But in 1962 Jamaica gained independence from Britain and that is why Jamaica is part of the Commonwealth games.

FUN FACTS

1. It is the third-largest island in the Caribbean
2. Jamaica is home to 4 major mountain ranges
3. Jamaica actually sits on top of a large underwater mountain
4. One-third of all Jamaicans live in the capital Kingston
5. In Jamaica, they drive on the left side of the road
6. It’s home to one of the largest butterflies in the world
7. he flag’s three colours represent: difficulties, sunlight, and agriculture
8. The colours on the nation’s flag make it one of just two in the world not to share a colour with USA’s flag
9. The island cultivates one of the world’s rarest and expensive coffees
10. Ackee and saltfish is the country’s national dish
11. Ian Fleming wrote all his James Bond thrillers in Jamaica
12. The first Caribbean country to launch a website
13. 250 Species of birds call jamaica home
14. Jamaica used to speak Spanish but now speaks English