| 1623 |
The
Englishman Thomas Warner, establishes the first permanent European
settlement in the Lesser Antilles (the Eastern Caribbean ) at
Old Road in St. Christopher (called by the native people 'Liamuiga'
Fertile Island)
|
| 1625 |
The
first permanent French Caribbean settlement is established also
in St. Christopher, by Belain D'Esnambuc a privateer (pirate).
English and French settlers cultivated tobacco and cotton for
export. The English employed a significant number of Irish indentured
labourers. |
| 1626 |
English
and French on St. Christopher combine to massacre the native
Caribs / Arawaks at their ceremonial meeting place along a ravine
of the Pelham River (since referred to as 'Bloody River') |
| 1627 |
St.
Christopher divided between English (middle) and French (outer
ends: Capesterre and Basseterre) with the South East Peninsula
and its salt ponds shared between the two. |
| 1629 |
First
armed conflict between the English and French on St. Christopher.
A few months later a large Spanish fleet captures the islands.
Many of those who escaped became buccaneers. Most settlers eventually
returned. |
| 1628-1635 |
Other
islands settled by English and French colonists from St. Christopher:
Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Anguilla (English); Guadeloupe,
Martinique, St. Martin (French). |
| 1635 |
The
Fig Tree battle between English and French. The French enlisted
their able-bodied slaves with the promise of freedom - a promise
never kept. The slaves revolt. |
| 1639 |
First
African slave revolt in the Eastern Caribbean is suppressed.
French slaves had established themselves in the foothills of
Mount Misery and waged a guerilla war. Phillipe de Poincey (after
whom the poinciana, flower of the flamboyant tree is named),
recently appointed French Governor, crushed the last remnants
of this uprising. |
| 1640's |
Sugar
industry introduced to Barbados and St. Christopher. The technology
had been developed in Iberia and the Canary Islands and introduced
in about 1520 into Hispaniola, and later Brazil from where it
was transmitted by the Dutch (whose focus was trade rather than
the settlement policy of the English and French). |
| From
1650 |
Rapid
expansion of the slave trade which accompanied the development
of the sugar industry from the mid 17 century to the last quarter
of the nineteenth century. The Caribbean islands received at
least 5 million, nearly half of those who survived the infamous
Middle Passage. Throughout the 18th century, the annual average
number of Africans brought to the Americas exceeded 55,000. |
| 1666-67
|
A
bloody brutal war for St. Christopher between English and French.
Both governors and hundreds of their men (including buccaneers)
were slaughtered. The Treaty of Breda restored the English to
their territories, but thousands settled in other English Colonies
in North America and the Caribbean. |
| 1671 |
The
Leeward Islands become an administrative area, separated from
Barbados. |
