A True & Exact History of the Island of Barbados

A rare firsthand account of colonial Barbados at the dawn of the Caribbean sugar economy.

First published in 1657, Richard Ligon's A True & Exact History of the Island of Barbados offers a remarkable eyewitness account of one of the most important colonies in the early British West Indies.

Drawing on his experiences on the island, Ligon describes the landscape, climate, plants, settlements, and daily life of seventeenth-century Barbados. Most notably, he documents the rapid expansion of sugar cultivation and the plantation system that would transform the Caribbean and reshape the Atlantic economy for centuries to come.

Part travel narrative, part historical record, and part economic observation, this classic work provides modern readers with a detailed view of colonial society during a pivotal moment in Caribbean history.

Inside this edition, readers will discover:

• A firsthand description of seventeenth-century Barbados
• Early accounts of sugar cultivation and processing
• Observations of colonial society and settlement life
• Descriptions of Caribbean plants, wildlife, and natural resources
• Valuable primary-source material for students, researchers, and history enthusiasts

An essential historical document for readers interested in colonial Caribbean history, the British West Indies, Atlantic world history, economic history, and the origins of the Caribbean plantation economy.