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July 17, 2002
A: FROM MENTOR GOPIKA CHANDRA, MD. MENTOR FROM UIC.
Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean (after
Cuba and Puerto
Rico). It was first called Xaymaca meaning "Land of Wood
and Water" by the
Arawaks. The Arawaks came from South America.In 1494, Christopher
Columbus
came to Jamaica declared it "the fairest land his eyes
had ever seen" giving
the island for the King and Queen of Spain. He named the island
Jamaica
because he heard tthe natives call it Xaymaca.The spanish
extinguished the
presence of Arawaks and the riches of the island.Later in
1655 the island was
invaded by Britishers. They transformed the island into largest
sugar
producing colony by the 18th century.
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