Jamaica’s ancient history is vague but it is known that before the arrival of colonisers from the west the island was populated by the Tainos a seafaring people that populated many of the islands in what is known today as the West Indies. The Tainos called the island Xamayca meaning land of wood and water.
In 1494 Christopher Columbus landed on the shores of the island and claimed it for Spain who in turn renamed it Santiago. The Spanish settled in what is today known as Spanish Town which became the capital of the island. Much of the Spanish occupation of Jamaica is not documented but it is known that they were dark times. The Spanish practically eliminated the native Taino population and then in 1517 brought the first African slaves to the island beginning  one of the largest slave colonies of all time.
Jamaica under Spanish rule was the subject of many raids, Port Royal even became somewhat of a base for Pirates. Among these many raiders were the British who eventually conquered the island and later claimed rule in 1670.

Kingston 1820 - 1821

Jamaica became a valuable asset to the British who continued the Spanish tradition of Slavery on the island and reaped the financial rewards of the Sugar and coffe trade harvested by the slaves. With a phenomenal ratio of slaves to ‘White Masters’ there were many uprisings in Jamaica to the point that the British eventually in 1834 abolished slavery altogether. Much in fighting on the island ensued and in 1865 at the request of the people and administration Jamaica became a crown colony with the capital being moved to Kingston in 1872.
It wasn’t until 1962 that Jamaica finally achieved its independence with the election of its first prime minister, Alexander Bustamante of the Jamaica Labour Party.