COLONIZATION
TO REVOLT |
|
1536
|
Portuguese
explorer Pedro a Campos visits the island. |
|
1627
|
Captain
Henry Powell lands a party of English settlers who establish
a colony, which they then develop as a sugar plantation
economy using slaves brought in from Africa. |
|
1639
|
Barbados'
first parliament, the House of Assembly, holds its first
meeting. |
|
1663
|
Barbados
is made into a British crown possession. |
|
1816
|
Slaves
stage a revolt. |
|
1834
|
Slavery
abolished. |
|
1876
|
British
proposal for a confederation of Barbados and the Windward
Islands triggers bloody riots in Barbados. |
|
POLITICAL
PARTIES FORMED |
|
1937
|
Outbreak
of riots in response to poor economic conditions; British
Royal Commission sent in to investigate conditions; Barbados
Labour Party (BLP) founded by Grantley Adams. |
|
1951
|
Universal
adult suffrage introduced; BLP wins general elections. |
|
1954
|
Ministerial
government set up with Grantley Adams as premier. |
|
1955
|
Democratic
Labour Party (DLP) formed out of a splinter of the BLP. |
|
1958-1962
|
Barbados
a member of the British-sponsored Federation of the West
Indies, of which Grantley Adams became the first prime
minister. |
|
1961
|
Barbados
granted full internal self-government with DLP leader
Errol Barrow as premier. |
|
INDEPENDENCE |
|
1966
|
Barbados
becomes independent with Barrow as first prime minister. |
|
1967
|
Barbados
joins the United Nations. |
|
1972
|
Barbados
establishes relations with Cuba. |
|
1976
|
BLP,
led by Tom Adams, the son of Grantley Adams, returns to
power (in their first win in a general elections since
1961). |
|
1983
|
Barbados
supports and provides a base for the US invasion of Grenada.
|
|
1985
|
Adams
dies and is replaced by Bernard St John (BLP) as prime
minister. |
|
1986
|
Errol
Barrow becomes prime minister after his DLP wins the general
elections. |
|
1987
|
Erskine
Lloyd Sandiford (DLP) becomes prime minister following
the death of Barrow. |
|
1994
|
Owen
Arthur becomes prime minister after his BLP wins a decisive
victory in the general elections, securing 19 of the 28
seats in the House of Assembly, the lower chamber of parliament. |
|
1999
|
BLP
wins a landslide in the general elections, capturing 26
of the 28 seats in the House of Assembly. |
|
2002
|
Barbados
is removed from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) list of countries deemed to be
uncooperative tax havens. The country was put on the list
in 2000. |
|
2003
|
Elections
called for May 21. |
