The country of Barbados, which is an island as well, is one of the Lesser Antilles Islands. It is a fairly small island, only taking up 431km2 of lang. It lies to the west of the Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean Sea. In 1501 it was first mapped by the Spanish, and despite the fact that the Portuguese were also aware of its existence (visiting in 1536) it remained unconquered until 1625 when England took control of it. It became a colony of the British under Charles I rule.
Originally a governing body was made up out of all the land owners of the island. This changed slowly over time, however, as the property qualifications were slowly diminished until 1950 when it was put into law that all persons over 21 have the right to vote without needing to own any property. In 1645 the island was divided into parishes, each with two representatives for the House Assembly.
Between 1800 and 1900 the House Assembly of Barbados governed, on behalf of the British, the entirety of the Windward Islands. This ceased to be the case in 1885 when Barbados left the union of Windward Islands. This union of islands was dissolved at a later date. After, despite trying to form a union with Tobago, the British Government awarded Barbados to Trinidad.
The black peoples of Barbados began to stir, politically, in the 1920s, but not until the 1930s were there any parties set up to represent them. The first social political party set up in Barbados was called the Barbados Labour Party, ,which was formed in 1937, and was in power right up to 1960 when a group left the party and formed the Democratic Labour Party, and won power.
Apart from the domestic politics, different parties inheriting power off each other, the most significant political occurrence after that was when the leader of the Democratic Labour Party, Errol Barrow, managed to secure Barbados as an independent country, free from the United Kingdom.
Originally a governing body was made up out of all the land owners of the island. This changed slowly over time, however, as the property qualifications were slowly diminished until 1950 when it was put into law that all persons over 21 have the right to vote without needing to own any property. In 1645 the island was divided into parishes, each with two representatives for the House Assembly.
Between 1800 and 1900 the House Assembly of Barbados governed, on behalf of the British, the entirety of the Windward Islands. This ceased to be the case in 1885 when Barbados left the union of Windward Islands. This union of islands was dissolved at a later date. After, despite trying to form a union with Tobago, the British Government awarded Barbados to Trinidad.
The black peoples of Barbados began to stir, politically, in the 1920s, but not until the 1930s were there any parties set up to represent them. The first social political party set up in Barbados was called the Barbados Labour Party, ,which was formed in 1937, and was in power right up to 1960 when a group left the party and formed the Democratic Labour Party, and won power.
Apart from the domestic politics, different parties inheriting power off each other, the most significant political occurrence after that was when the leader of the Democratic Labour Party, Errol Barrow, managed to secure Barbados as an independent country, free from the United Kingdom.
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