Introduction
Guyana is a landlocked country located in South America. The country gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and has since been ruled by various Prime Ministers. However, Guyana’s modern history can be traced back to indigenous peoples who lived in the area long before European colonizers arrived on the continent.
Indigenous Peoples
Guyana was once home to three indigenous groups: the Arawaks, Caribs and Indians. Of these three groups, only a few hundred Indians remain in Guyana today.
The Arawaks were the first people to settle on what is now called Guyana; they arrived from South America around 2,000 BC and lived peacefully with nature until their numbers were decimated by disease brought over by European explorers.
The Caribs were fierce warriors who resisted European colonization for over 250 years until being driven off their lands by Dutch soldiers in 1665. The remaining Caribs fled northward into Venezuela where they established themselves as an independent nation known as Kalina (or Caleena). Today there are still thousands of Kalinas living there
The Dutch
The Dutch were the first to arrive, in search of timber and other resources. They established colonies along the coast and began trading with local indigenous peoples. The Dutch also saw Guyana’s strategic location as an ideal point for trade between Europe and America; they built a fort at present-day Essequibo (then part of Dutch Guiana) in 1616.
The British arrived shortly afterward, establishing settlements along the Berbice River and sending out expeditions into interior regions like Demerara and Berbice. However, these settlements were short-lived due to poor conditions–particularly disease–and lack of interest from Britain itself
The British
The British were the first Europeans to colonize Guyana. They arrived in 1627, but didn’t establish a permanent settlement until 1796. The British rule lasted until 1966, when they merged with Trinidad and Tobago to create a federation called the West Indies Federation (WI). This federation collapsed after only 5 years due to internal political conflicts between its members.
The history of Guyana during this period was characterized by two main events: slave importation and resource exploitation. Slave labor was used primarily on sugar plantations; however there was also some gold mining done in Guyana during this time period as well as logging operations in its extensive rainforests which were exported abroad for profit
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the Burnham Era
In 1961, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won a landslide victory in national elections. The party was led by Cheddi Jagan, who had been active in politics since his youth and spent years fighting for Guyanese independence from Britain.
Jagan became prime minister of Guyana under this new government and immediately began working toward independence. He created the National Commission on Constitutional Development to draft a new constitution based on democratic principles–a task that took two years to complete due to disagreements between members of Parliament regarding what form their new country should take. Once finalized, however, this document became one of Guyana’s most important historical documents: it outlined how elections would be held and established rights such as freedom of speech and assembly within its pages.
Cheddi Jagan and the PNC
After three centuries of British colonial rule, Guyana gained independence in 1966. The first leader of independent Guyana was Dr. Cheddi Jagan, who served as prime minister from 1953 to 1957 and again from 1961 until 1964. A lawyer and politician with socialist leanings, Jagan led two unsuccessful coups against the British government before being elected to parliament as an independent candidate in 1946. He went on to form his own political party–the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)–in 1950 and was elected president of its successor organization after it split into factions following his departure from office in 1964.
Jagan died in 1997 at age 87; he remains one of the most influential figures in modern Guyanese history
PPP-UWP Split and the Elections of 1992 and 1996
The PPP-UWP split and the elections of 1992 and 1996 were significant for several reasons. First, they marked the beginning of an era in which Guyana’s history was shaped by its geography, European colonizers and foreign powers. Second, these events led to the downfall of Forbes Burnham–the first president since independence–and his replacement by Desmond Hoyte (1990-1996). Finally, they set up a political system that would continue until today: one party has been in power ever since Forbes Burnham stepped down from office in 1985
Jagdeo and the PPP ULP Coalition Government (1997 -2008)
Jagdeo was elected in 1997 and re-elected in 2001 on a platform of economic growth and social development. During this time, he created a coalition government between the PPP and the ULP to ensure that all parties had a say in governing Guyana.
Jagdeo’s administration focused on improving education, healthcare access, infrastructure development (roads), as well as fighting crime through initiatives like community policing programs that encouraged citizens to report suspicious activity anonymously via phone or email.
Guyana’s history is one that has been shaped by its geography, European colonizers and foreign powers.
The country is small but rich in culture and diversity. The first people to inhabit Guyana were indigenous groups who lived on the coast or in the interior rainforest areas of South America. They lived off hunting and gathering as well as farming on small plots of land they cultivated using slash-and-burn techniques (a method of clearing forests by cutting down trees).
Conclusion
Guyana’s history is one that has been shaped by its geography, European colonizers and foreign powers.
