Here is a brief timeline of important events that have shaped the country of Barbados and its people; the focus here will be geared towards recent events (from 100 years ago or so), located towards the bottom, but we’ll begin with more ancient events first.
Timeline of Barbados History & Important Historical Events
1511 – Barbados First Appears on Spanish Maps
1627 – English Settle the Island with Slaves
1629 – Divided into 6 Original Parishes
1639 – Parliament (House of Burgesses) Holds First Meeting
1640 – Sugar Plantations Begin First Cultivation
1663 – Barbados Becomes English Crown Possession
1751 – George Washington Visits, His first and only travels outside American mainland.
1816 – Bussa’s Rebellion, Largest slave uprising in the country’s history.
1834 – Slavery Abolished
1966 – Gains Independence
1967 – Barbados Joins the United Nations (read more: What is the UN?)
For more on Barbados, check these posts out: