HISTORY OF THE CARIBBEAN

Beside nature beauties, the Caribbean are know for exciting history. Today, there are many reminders of those turbulent and dynamic times. From the ruins of pre-Columbian times to museums that hold valuable works of art, the Caribbean people try hard to preserve their cultural identity.

The pre-Columbian tribes that settled the area left strong marks to the present day, which are visible in the form of archaeological sites as well as in lifestyle. The Taíno tribes lived in this area until the Spanish conquests. Although they were taken as slaves quite quickly, their heritage can be found in island foods and language, as well as in the smoking of tobacco and even the popularity of the hammock. Other significant tribes were Carib and Arawak Indians.

Shortly after the Christopher Columbus had discovered the Caribbean territories, the Europeans started with their campaigns. It didn’t take them long to completely conquer the locals, and bring them near to extinction, after which they started bringing slaves from Africa. The Europeans dug gold and silver from Central American mines and shipped them to Europe, and the poverty and bad living caused many locals to intercept these ships and steel the treasures. These pirates made it into the legend and are today one of the most recognizable marks of the Caribbean. They "operated" in the area from 1560s to 1720s, and piracy reached its highpoint from 1640s to 1680s. Although it may seem heroic, and is often displayed as romantic, piracy was mostly ruthless business and pirates were fearsome and cruel.

Caribbean has been, throughout the history, an important element in European and American fights; from the colonial territorial wars to modern day struggles between the Cuba and United States, this territory has always been an issue of dispute. Many of the islands have gained independence till the 1960s, but many of them are still dependencies of U.S. and European countries (UK, France, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark).

 

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