Historic Jamaica

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

70109

Title

Historic Jamaica

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Frank Cundall's 'Historic Jamaica' offers a richly illustrated survey of the island's past, blending historical narrative with evocative descriptions of landscapes, estates, and colonial life. With fifty-two illustrations and a tone that balances scholarly detail with literary flair, the book invites readers to explore Jamaica's complex heritage through the eyes of early settlers, enslaved peoples, and historical figures.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1915 by the Institute of Jamaica, Frank Cundall's *Historic Jamaica* offers a profound meditation on the island's evolution from pre-colonial times through the 19th century. Cundall argues that a nation's dedication to preserving its past serves as a true measure of its civilization. The work reconstructs the social and political landscape by drawing on primary sources, including journals, maps, and legal records, to examine the formation of parishes like St. Catherine and Portland. It details the Spanish colonial presence in St. Jago de la Vega and the pivotal English conquest in 1655 under Penn and Venables, which captured the island with minimal loss despite earlier failures on Hispaniola. The narrative vividly portrays plantation life, exploring estates such as Lyssons, Hordley, and Golden Grove. Here, Cundall confronts the harsh realities of slavery and the moral contradictions of the era, citing Monk Lewis's observation of Hordley as a "perfect hell" where racial tensions and exploitation were rampant. The book also addresses the shifting geography of Jamaica, tracing the course of the Rio Cobre and the decline of Spanish Town as the seat of government moved to Kingston. Through vivid prose and careful citation, Cundall preserves the voices of contemporaries, offering critical reflections on race, power, and the enduring legacy of Jamaica's history.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/70109.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg70109.epub

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Categories

• History
• Travel