What did the European contribute to the Caribbean?

Growing sugarcane. The Europeans came to the Caribbean in search of wealth. The Spanish had originally looked for gold and silver, but there was little to be found. Instead, the Europeans tried growing different crops to be sold back home.

Who introduced slavery to the Caribbean?

Between 1662 and 1807 Britain shipped 3.1 million Africans across the Atlantic Ocean in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Africans were forcibly brought to British owned colonies in the Caribbean and sold as slaves to work on plantations.

How did slavery impact the Caribbean?

The slave trade had long lasting negative effects on the islands of the Caribbean. The native peoples, the Arawaks, were wiped out by European diseases and became replaced with West Africans.

How did the Caribbean islands get populated?

The history of the Caribbean did not begin in 1492 when Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas. The islands were already inhabited by the Ciboney, Arawak and Carib peoples from mainland America. They settled on a number of the Caribbean islands, where they lived by farming.

What Caribbean nation was the first to gain independence?

Haiti
Haiti the former French colony of Saint-Domingue on Hispaniola, was the first Caribbean nation to gain independence from a European power in 1804.

What influenced Caribbean culture?

Major influences on Caribbean identity trace back to the arrival of French settlers (from the early-17th century), English settlers (from the early-17th century) and Spanish settlers (from the late-15th century).

When did Jamaica end slavery?

1834
The Jamaican slaves were bound (indentured) to their former owners’ service, albeit with a guarantee of rights, until 1838 under what was called the “Apprenticeship System”. With the abolition of the slave trade in 1808 and slavery itself in 1834, however, the island’s sugar- and slave-based economy faltered.

How many slaves died in the Caribbean?

The number purchased by the traders was considerably higher, as the passage had a high death rate with approximately 1.2–2.4 million dying during the voyage and millions more in seasoning camps in the Caribbean after arrival in the New World.

Which Caribbean island has the highest population?

Cuba
1. Cuba. As the largest island in the Caribbean by size, it makes sense that Cuba would also be the most populated Caribbean island. With just over 11 million inhabitants, you’ll find Cuba bursting with vibrant locals who love to dive into their incredibly rich history with visitors eager to listen.

When did Jamaica gain emancipation?

In Jamaica on August 1, 1838, thousands of ex-slaves who had gathered at town centres and churches in the British Caribbean territory broke into joyous celebrations after hearing the final words of the Emancipation Declaration, affirming their full freedom from slavery.

What crop has been the most important one in the Caribbean?

Sugar cane development in the Americas Sugar was the most important crop throughout the Caribbean, although other crops such as coffee, indigo, and rice were also grown.

Where can I find resources for the 17th century trade?

The resources are also available at the top of the page. In the 17th century, Native Americans and Europeans in New Amsterdam and other parts of eastern North America traded a variety of goods. These goods included metal tools and woven cloth from the Europeans, and beaver pelts and corn from the Native Americans.

How did the Atlantic slave trade affect the Caribbean?

The development of agriculture in the Caribbean required a large workforce of manual labourers, which the Europeans found by taking advantage of the slave trade in Africa. The Atlantic slave trade brought African slaves to British, Dutch, French, Portuguese and Spanish colonies in the Americas, including the Caribbean.

Why was sugar so important to the Barbadian economy?

Sugar wasn’t just a luxury commodity. It served as the chief form of currency on Barbados (slaves and servants were paid for in pounds of sugar) and fuelled British colonization in the Caribbean. Colonial Barbados was at the centre of the sugar trade going back to the mid-17th century and was known as the Sugar Island.

What goods were traded in the 17th century in New Amsterdam?

In the 17th century, Native Americans and Europeans in New Amsterdam and other parts of eastern North America traded a variety of goods. These goods included metal tools and woven cloth from the Europeans, and beaver pelts and corn from the Native Americans.