Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Jamaica Flag And Its History

By Fred Borson


The history of Jamaica is a rich and vibrant one, which inspires us to move forward as a nation. Our history speaks to experiences of hardships and prosperity; and the growth and determination of a people. Jamaica’s history has been poetically composed by Howard Pyle.

Buccaneers operated from Port Royal, also the capital, until it fell into the sea in an earthquake in 1692. Disease decimated the Arawaks, so black slaves were imported to work on the sugar plantations. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the British were consistently harassed by the Maroons, armed bands of freed slaves roaming the countryside.

Abolition of the slave trade (1807), the emancipation of the slaves (1833), and a drop in sugar prices eventually led to a depression that resulted in an uprising in 1865. The following year Jamaica became a Crown colony, and conditions improved considerably. The introduction of bananas reduced dependence on sugar.

The Jamaica National Flag was first raised on Independence Day, August 6, 1962. It signifies the birth of our nation. The Flag brings to mind memories of past achievements and gives inspiration towards further success. It is flown on many triumphant occasions, showing the pride that Jamaicans have in their country and in the flag itself.

After gaining independence from the British West Indies in 1962, Jamaica launched a national competition to find the design for their new national flag. Of many designs submitted, the gold saltire, or X, beat out various striped flags in the same color scheme.

The original design for the Jamaican flag was a horizontal striped pattern with the same colors as the current flag, but it was rejected because of its similarity to the then flag of Tanganyika which is now part of Tanzania. The original design for the Jamaican flag was a horizontal striped pattern with the same colors as the current flag, but it was rejected because of its similarity to the then flag of Tanganyika which is now part of Tanzania. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of Jamaican Flag for the future.




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