Short answers, pulled from the story.
The island was originally called Xaymaca by the Taíno inhabitants, a name meaning Land of Wood and Water. This name reflected the dense forests and abundant springs that covered the landscape when Christopher Columbus first sighted it on the 5th of May 1494.
The English captured Jamaica in 1655 under Admiral William Penn and General Robert Venables. They inherited an island that had become a haven for pirates and escaped slaves before establishing their control.
Full emancipation was declared on the 1st of August 1838 after the British abolished the slave trade in 1807. This marked the end of the system of slavery that had been in place since the early 17th century.
Full independence was achieved on the 6th of August 1962 with 78-year-old Alexander Bustamante becoming the country's first prime minister. This event marked the beginning of a new era for the island nation after Jamaica became a province in the Federation of the West Indies in 1958.
Tourism accounts for 36% of Jamaica's GDP and 32% of total employment. The island has an average of 4.3 million tourists visiting annually, making the economy heavily dependent on this sector.
The capital moved from Spanish Town to Kingston in 1872 following the Morant Bay rebellion of 1865. This rebellion led to Jamaica becoming a Crown Colony in 1866 and triggered significant political changes.