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Jan 1, 1511
Barbados is discovered and put on map.
Barbados was visited by Spanish navigators in the late 15th century and claimed for the Spanish Crown. It first appeared in a Spanish map in 1511. -
Jan 1, 1536
Portuguese visit Barbados
The Portuguese visited the island in 1536, but they left it unclaimed, with their only remnants being an introduction of wild hogs for a good supply of meat whenever the island was visited. -
Great Britain claim Barbados
An English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados in 1625; its men took possession of it in the name of King James I. -
First permanent settlers
In 1627, the first permanent settlers arrived from England, and it became an English and later British colony. -
Trade ban because of war
To try to bring the recalcitrant colony to heel, the Commonwealth Parliament passed an act on 3 October 1650 prohibiting trade between England and Barbados -
Large amount of slaves
By 1700, there were 15,000 free whites and 50,000 enslaved blacks. -
Hurricane of 1780
The 1780 hurricane killed over 4,000 people on Barbados. -
Slavery abolished
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833, which abolished slavery throughout the British Empire (with the exceptions "of the Territories in the Possession of the East India Company", the "Island of Ceylon" and "the Island of Saint Helena"; the exceptions were eliminated in 1843), came into came into force the following year, on 1 August 1834. -
Independence Day
In 1966, Barbados became an independent state and Commonwealth realm with the British Monarch (presently Queen Elizabeth II) as hereditary head of state. -
Cricket World Cup final
In addition to several warm-up matches and six "Super Eight" matches, the country hosted the final of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
