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history:caribbean |
 The
first sign of human life in the Caribbean islands is the Ciboneys
of the Archaic period. The numerous petroglyphs found throughout the
chain indicate a later presence of the Arawak Indians who explored
the islands using their South American home as a jumping off spot.
This peaceful tribe would soon be replaced |
| by the fearsome Carib tribe who, in their warrior-like ways, captured the women and children and killed the Arawak men. In the late 1400s, Columbus and his crews "discovered" the islands and thus began the mass colonization by the European peoples. Throughout the 1500s plantations and settlements were set up throughout the Caribbean and African slaves were imported to work the plantations. The islands were used as stopovers for ships bringing wealths of minerals and spices back to Europe and so began an era of piracy. The pirates used the islands' many hidden coves and bays as bases to launch attacks on galleons packed with riches. During this time the islands switched hands many times as the British, French and Dutch traded and fought over real estate throughout the world. In the late 1800s to the mid-1900s most of the islands gained independence from their colonizers and most have relatively stable economies based on tourism, fishing and agriculture. |