[...]... foes to boost morale n Europeans Leave Their Mark Christopher Columbus never saw flat little Barbados as he sailed through the West Indies, so the island wasn’t officially discovered by Europeans until 1536 when Portuguese explorer Pedro à Campos stopped by on his way to Brazil He didn’t encounter any Indians during his visit, which leads some historians to think that Spaniards may have stumbled onto... but it was still not illegal to keep slaves who were already owned In 1815, England passed a bill requiring all slaves in the West Indies to be registered so that compliance with the 1807 decree could be monitored Barbadian slave owners objected to this violation of their right to self-government, and refused to inventory their slaves Ironically, at that time, most slaves on Barbados were on good terms... Important Dates in Barbados History n 1529 – Barbados first appears on a map n 1625 – The first English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrives n 1627 – The first settlers arrive at Holetown n 1639 – Parliament is established 1651 – Barbados is invaded by British forces under Oliver Cromwell n 1652 – The Articles of Capitulation (the basis of the Charter of Barbados) are agreed to at the town of Oistins n... at the time, but turned out to be an historical stroke of good luck, since Washington developed an immunity to smallpox as he Introduction n The Good Life 24 n History recovered Years later, when his army became ill with the disease while fighting in the American Revolution, Washington remained healthy, established himself as an outstanding leader and war hero, and went on to become the first president... dance like a nest o snakes Most Bajan sentences are made up of English words used in a different way Tourists will find it fascinating to listen to Bajans chatting on the street or calling to one another from their cars However, most residents will switch seamlessly to proper English when they speak to visitors Those who don’t may be making a statement, demanding respect for their culture, or simply displaying... February 17, 1627, and began a 339-year stretch of continuous British control on the island they called Barbados 22 n History Barbados couldn’t keep up with the demand Once again, Dutch expertise was sought, and plantation owners took their advice to import slaves from West Africa to work the fields and tend to household drudgeries Sugar production increased with slave labor, and as the landowners’ profits... homes have survived in excellent condition because they were never subjected to damage from the kinds of territorial conflicts that took place on most Caribbean islands The Barbados National Trust lists more than 300 houses of historic interest that merit notice Tyrol Cot Heritage Village is centered around the accurately restored former home of the late statesman Sir Grantley Adams The lovely house... controversial lyrics Despite calypso’s hold on the island, many musicians are moving toward other styles In Too Sexy, Edwin Yearwood, the lead singer for the award-winning group Krosfyah, claims to be “too sexy for winter, but never too sexy for soca,” which is a more soulful, heavy-bass style of calypso The group’s lead singer, Tony Bailey, goes even further by writing original music influenced by the French... religion of Barbados and, as proof, the island boasts more than 100 different denominations or sects worshipping in more than 300 separate churches Every Sunday morning, Bajans parade to services in their finest clothes, and melodic hymns pour from open church windows In the Beginning In order to understand Bajans’ dedication to religion, it’s necessary to look back more than 300 years to a time when... equally to a heavenly God and to an earthly king In 1652, the island’s founders proclaimed religious tolerance a basic right, even though religious freedom was suppressed in England However, as the island’s population grew, it became obvious that religious tolerance actually meant Anglican tolerance The Anglican church was the official church of England and, as a result, the first religion to establish . 96 vi n Adventure Guide to Barbados Codrington College 97 Conset Bay to Bathsheba 98 Andromeda Botanic Gardens 99 Bathsheba 102 Belleplaine 103 North to South – The Best Attractions 104 The Barbados. Reasons to Visit 42 Travel Information 43 Fun Things to Do 43 When to Visit 43 What to Bring 44 Festivals & Holidays 45 January 45 February 45 March 46 April 46 May 47 July & August 47 October. Visitors Centre 84 Tyrol Cottage 87 The West Coast 88 Holetown 88 Speightstown 90 The Southern Parishes & Up the Atlantic Coast 91 Sunbury Plantation 92 Sam Lord’s Castle 95 Bottom Bay to