last edited Dec 11, 2019
History of Martinique
History of Martinique
Key Dates
- 1502: Discovery by Christopher Columbus of the island, then inhabited by the Carib Indians, who had succeeded the Arawaks. For over a century, Martinique served only as a resupply point for European ships.
- 1635: First permanent French (and European) settlement, followed shortly by the introduction of slaves to the island.
- 1658: French expansion on the island, a source of regular conflict with the Indians, led to the massacre and seizure of lands occupied by the Caribs.
- 1685: Creation of the "Black Code" by Colbert, which governed the lives of slaves in 60 articles until 1848.
- 1750–1814: Various European conflicts resulted in multiple clashes in the Antilles. Martinique was occupied several times by the British before remaining definitively French from 1814 onward.
- 1816–1848: While the island experienced economic growth, particularly due to sugarcane, it also faced numerous slave revolts.
- 1848: Abolition of slavery, initiated by Victor Schoelcher, whose name was later given in 1889 to a commune near Fort-de-France.
- Second half of the 19th century: The island welcomed 37,000 indentured workers from Africa, India, and China to replace the slaves.
- 1902: In May, the eruption of Mount Pelée destroyed Saint-Pierre, then the "capital" of Martinique, which was subsequently replaced by Fort-de-France.
- 1946: Martinique gained the status of a French Overseas Department.
- 1962–1998: Following the first independence movements in 1962, the "Martinican Independence Movement" was founded in 1978 and managed the Regional Council of Martinique from 1998 to 2010.
- 1983: Following the 1982 decentralization law, the Regional Council of Martinique was created.
- 1993: Social equality between metropolitan France and the overseas departments became effective.
- 2002: On January 1st, like everywhere in France, the euro replaced the French franc.
- 2008: Death at age 94 of Aimé Césaire, writer, politician, and emblematic figure of Martinique.
- 2009: Guadeloupe and then Martinique were paralyzed by a "general strike against the high cost of living" lasting several weeks, which had significant consequences for tourism.
- 2010: By referendum, Martinicans rejected the status of Overseas Collectivity, which would have granted the island greater autonomy and powers vis-à-vis Paris.