Colony of Jamaica

Crown Colony of Jamaica and Dependencies
Crown Colony of Jamaica and Dependencies
1655–1962
	Flag (1957–1962) Badge (1957–1962)
	Motto: Indus Uterque Serviet Uni; "The two Indies will serve as one"
	Anthem: God Save the Queen (1837–1901; 1952–1962); God Save the King (1745–1837; 1901–1952);
Status	Colony of England (1655–1707); Colony of Great Britain (1707–1800); Colony of the United Kingdom (1801–1962)
Capital	Spanish Town (1655–1872); Port Royal (de facto, 1655–1692); Kingston (1872–1962)
Common languages	English, Jamaican Patois, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Irish, African languages, Hindustani, Chinese, Arabic
Ethnic groups	Afro-Jamaican, Multiracial, European, Indian, Chinese, Hispanic, Arab, Jewish
Religion	Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Bedwardism, Rastafari Akan religion, Afro-American religion, Chinese folk religion, Judaism
Government	Vicegerency under a parliamentary republic (1655–1660); Viceroyalty under a constitutional monarchy (1660–1962)
Head of State
• 1655–1658	Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell
• 1952–1962	Queen Elizabeth II
Governor
• 1655	William Penn
• 1957–1962	Sir Kenneth Blackburne
Chief Minister
• 1953–1955	Alexander Bustamante
• 1955–1962	Norman Manley
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Legislative Council
• Lower house	House of Representatives
History
• Established	10 May 1655
• Attachment of; Bay Islands; British Honduras; Cayman Islands; Turks and Caicos	15 June 1852; 1749; 18 July 1670; 4 April 1873
• Detachment of; Bay Islands; British Honduras; Cayman Islands; Turks and Caicos	14 July 1860; 2 October 1884; 4 July 1959; 4 July 1959
• Independence	6 August 1962
Population
• 1943	1,249,900
• 1956	1,577,410
Currency	Spanish dollar (1655–1840); Jamaican pound (1840–1962); British West Indies dollar (1954–1962);
ISO 3166 code	JM
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Spanish Jamaica
	Spanish West Indies
	Captaincy General of Guatemala
	Turks and Caicos Islands
Jamaica
Cayman Islands
Bay Islands
British Honduras
Turks and Caicos Islands

The Crown Colony of Jamaica and Dependencies was a British colony from 1655, when it was captured by the English Protectorate from the Spanish Empire. Jamaica became a British colony from 1707 and a Crown colony in 1866. The Colony was primarily used for sugarcane production, and experienced many slave rebellions over the course of British rule. Jamaica was granted independence in 1962.