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| INFO ON GUYANA |
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| GUYANA |
| Guyana INFO |
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA
Around 1200 - The Amerindians migrate to, and inhabit, South America (see map ). The legend of the Empire of Eldorado is born.
Guyana shown on map of South America
1593 - The earliest account of the territory of Guiana is made in a despatch to the Royal Council of Spain in which the Governor of Trinidad, Antonio de Berreo, describes his journey down the Oronoco and his attempt to explore Guiana.
1594 - Sir Robert Dudley makes enquiries about the rumoured Empire of El Dorado when his ship puts into Trinidad. A small boat is sent to investigate and its crew return to report that the natives (Amerindians) had told them of gold mines so rich that that the people of the country powdered themselves with gold dust. "And farre beyond them", they said,"a great towne called El Dorado with many more things".
1598 - The Dutch make their first trip to Guiana.
1621 - Dutch West India Company receives a charter for Essequibo.
1640 - Slaves arrive in the colonies from Africa.
1657 - A small Dutch settlement is established on the Pomeroon River.
1666 - War breaks out between England and Holland.
1763 - The Berbice slave revolution breaks out (at the time when Berbice is a separate Dutch colony). The revolt begins on one estate but soon spreads to others along the Berbice River and is the result of the cruelty with which the Dutch plantation owners have been treating their slaves. It is led by a male slave called Cuffy. The few hundred white settlers are soon overwhelmed, and the uprising will only be put down after the arrival of war ships and with the help of troops as far away as Barbados.
Cuffy will commit suicide 3 months after beginning the uprising. His followers are hunted down for another year until the Dutch authorities are satisfied that the rebellion has been crushed.
1781 - War breaks out between England and Holland. The colonies of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice are taken by the English.
1782 - Some months later, the French, who are also at war with England (and who are the allies of Holland) under the command of the Marquis de Lusignan (who's name is perpetuated in the plantation of that name) take the three colonies. The French build Fort Dauphin at the mouth of the Demerara and, nearby, begin to build a town, "Longchamps".
1783/4 - (a) The colonies are restored to Holland;
(b) Longchamps is chosen as the new colonial capital, later to be called Stabroek;
(c) The Dutch move the seat of government down river to its mouth, where they begin to build the town of Stabroeck in a geometrical "grid iron" system of streets, divided by canals in the manner of their home country;
(d) The Dutch build a series of sluice gates or kokers at points where the canals meet the Demerara estuary. At high tide the kokers (see picture of koker) form a barrier between the Atlantic Ocean and the canals. At high tide they are opened to allow the accumulated water to flow away
. A Koker
1796 - War breaks out again between England and Holland. The colonies are taken by England for a second time.
1802 - At the peace of Amiens, Guiana is returned to the Dutch. English settlers are given three years to wind up their affairs, and then to leave.
1803 - War breaks out again between England and Holland. In September, Hood arrives at the mouth of the Demerara and demands the surrender of the colony. Guiana is handed over without fighting never again to be returned to Holland.
1811 - The first St George's church is constructed in Georgetown (on the site where St George's school now stands).
1812 - The town of Stabroek is renamed "Georgetown".
1814 - Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice are assigned to England during the great peace.
1822 - The town of New Amsterdam is laid out in Berbice.
1823 - There is a slave insurrection on the East Coast of Demerara.
1828 - The Public Building (now Parliament Building) is built - Hadfield, architect. (Completed in 1834).
1830 - The 103ft tall, red and white striped lighthouse( see photo) is erected at the mouth of the Demerara River (Water Street). It replaced the original wooden structure that was built by the Dutch in 1817.
Lighthouse
1833 - The Act of Abolition of Slavery is passed. The slaves are not granted full freedom, but are bound to their masters for three quarters of the day for a period of seven years.
1835 - Portuguese labourers are imported for work on the plantations. (Almost one thousand Portuguese immigrants die from tropical diseases).
1837 - John Gladstone suggests East Indian indentured labour as a solution to the drifting of Africans from the plantations to the towns. Permission is granted to bring "Coolies" for his two plantations.
1837 - While exploring what was then British Guiana, botanist Robert Schaumburg stumbles across a spectacular water lily of gigantic proportions. (see photo below)Stretching about six feet across the lily pad looks like and enormous pie plate and can easily support a coiled boa napping in the shade of its tremendous blossom, which boasts an expansive corolla that runs the gamut of pink between its pearly white petals and , and bright red centre. The chivalrous Schaumburg christens the future pride of the botanical gardens "Victoria Regina" in honour of the British sovereign.
The beautiful "victoriaregia" lily
1837 - Georgetown has its first mayor and town council.
1838 - A floating light is placed on the Demerara "Bar".
1838 - August 1st - "Full and unqualified liberation of the Negroes".
1838 - The first indentured labourers drawn from the hill areas of south India arrive in Guiana. 156 East Indians arrive from Calcutta on the "Hesperus". They are under indentureship for a five year period and, initially, they are housed and given rations but not paid. Great mistreatment of these labourers results in prosecution of some of the planters.
1838 - Schaumburg discovers Mount Roraima.
1838 - The colony is divided by ordinance into the three counties of Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice.
1839 - Four hundred German Rhinelander's and Wurtembergers are enticed into British Guiana. Unfortunately, almost all succumb to tropical diseases.
1842 - Georgetown is declared a city.
1842 - In June, a new and larger St George's Church is opened (on the present site) in Georgetown. The building will later become the first St. George's Cathedral.
1843 - The cornerstone for the Public Building (now the Parliament Building) is laid in Georgetown.
1843 - The end of the first period of indentureship. Many of the labourers return to India.
In the 1840's England suspends the indentured labour system. Immigrant labour from India, Portugal (mainly Madeira) and China is permitted under Government control.
1844 - Queen's College is founded.
1845 - The Demerara Railway Company introduces the railway in British Guiana. The railway runs from Georgetown for 60 miles down the Atlantic coast to Rosignol on the Berbic River.
1853 - January 12th - The first contract Chinese labourers arrive in British Guiana on the "Glentanner".
1856 - February 18th - The Georgetown riots result in the destruction of Portuguese property.
1860 - March 11th - The first female Chinese labourers arrive on the "Whirlwind".
1864 - The Mahaica Bridge is opened.
1870 - Members of a geological survey team discover the Kaieteur Falls on the Potaro River In central Guiana.
1874 - The last of the contract Chinese labourers arrive in Demerara.
1879 - Between 1879 and 1884 the Botanical Gardens are laid out on the site of an abandoned sugar plantation known as Vlissengen. Located at the eastern end of the city limits, the gardens are laid out by a Trinidadian - J F Waby- from plans previously prepared by another Trinidadian - the botanist H Prestoe.
1880's - The Stabroek Market is built. This structure is inspired by the Dutch style of building. It is a long, gabled building framed in iron with a façade of white and red painted wood, with a central clock tower which is capped by a red pyramid supported by slender posts on a balconied roof.
1882 - As a barrier, the 'kokers' are inefficient; the sea and the river are constantly encroaching on Stabroek. In 1882, construction of the sea wall is completed and keeps the water under control.
1884 - The Promenade Garden is extended to its present 21st century proportions on an entire city block (east of the State House). This area was once used as a public display for the hanging of slaves who were connected to the 1823 East Coast rebellion.
1884 - Sir Everard Im Thurn climbs Mt. Roraima.
1889 -The Town Hall (now the City Hall) is opened in the city of Georgetown.
1890 - Secondary diamond deposits are discovered in Western Guyana. (Since 1890, Guyana has produced 4.5 million carats),
1892 - A new St. George's Cathedral (the fourth St. George's structure) is constructed in the city of Georgetown.
St George's Cathedral
1899 - The Internal Tribunal establishes the country's borders.
1900 - October 18th - The Jagans, Cheddie's parents, left Calcutta in the "Elbe" and arrived in Demerara on the 5th January 1901.
1917 - The Government of India abolishes the indentured system. No more East Indian labour is allowed to enter Guyana.
1925 - The old drainage system, which provided an excellent breeding ground for disease and insects, is replaced by a pipeline sewage system. The introduction of the pipeline sewage system permits the filling-in of many of the central canals. The Avenue which now (in 2002) runs down Main Street was once a canal filled with the Victoria Regia lily plant).
1928 - The Constitution is changed to give women the right to vote on the same terms as men.
1946 - A census reveals a population of some 375,819.
1950 - A piped- supply of potable water is made available in Georgetown.
1953 - The Waddington Constitution is suspended on December 22nd. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers are despatched to Guyana to control any outbreak of violence which may follow the suspension. The House of Assembly is disbanded. All political parties are forbidden to hold meetings and certain PPP leaders are forbidden to leave Georgetown. The Legislative Council is now composed of nominated and ex-officio members.
1955 - British Guiana Airways is purchased by the Government for Stg. 823,000 from Colonel Art Williams.
1961 - Elections under the Internal Self-Government Constitution. The PPP party is victorious.
1962 - Civil Servants strike resulting in widespread disturbances. British troops are sent in to restore order.
1964 - Proportional Representation System. A coalition Government of PNC and UF attains power.
1965 - November 15th - New Bank of Guyana notes come into circulation in denominations of $1, $5, $10 and $20.
1966 - May 26th - Independence. The colony of British Guiana becomes independent of British Rule and is known as Guyana.
1966 - British troops leave Guyana.
1970 - February 23rd - The independent country becomes a Co-operative Republic and is now known as the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
1980 - New constitution adopted
1981- Forbes Burnham became the first executive president under the new constitution
1985- Burnham died, succeeded by Desmond Hoyte
1992- PPP had decisive victory at the assembly elections and Cheddi Jagan became president
1997 - Janet Jagan became president following the death of her husband, Cheddi Jagan
1999 - Janet Jagan retired from the presidency and named Bharrat Jagdeo as her successor
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