Every year on August 6, Jamaica celebrates the national holiday — Independence Day, established in honor of the anniversary of Jamaica's declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1962. This day is celebrated in the country with national festivities, festive events and fireworks.
In ancient times, Jamaica was inhabited by Indians. Jamaica's new history began on May 5, 1498, when Christopher Columbus set foot on its shore during his second voyage. At that time, more than one hundred thousand Arawak Indians lived in Jamaica (the Aborigines called it «Hamaika»).
Columbus renamed Jamaica Santiago, and the Spanish crown granted him the title of Marquis of Jamaica, which was then inherited in his family. The aborigines gradually died out from backbreaking labor, diseases brought by the Spaniards and longing for their former free life, preferring to drink poisonous casava juice. And therefore, already in 1517, the first slaves from Africa were brought here — it was necessary to grow sugar cane.
By 1558, the Indians were completely exterminated, and Jamaica gained terrible fame as the main transshipment point of the world slave trade. In 1670, the Spaniards were expelled from the island by an English squadron, and Jamaica almost officially became a pirate island.
In 1958, Jamaica became part of the British-established West Indies (Caribbean) Federation, which included British island possessions in the Caribbean. But already in 1961, Jamaicans voted in a referendum to secede from the Federation, which ceased to exist in May 1962. Jamaican independence was declared on August 6, 1962.
At the same time, the national flag of Jamaica was approved. «There are difficulties, but the earth is green and the sun is shining» — this motto corresponds to the symbolism of the colors of the flag. Black represents the challenges overcome, yellow — natural resources and beauty of sunlight, green — hope and natural resources of Jamaica.