Poets

The history of the Caribbean is a long and intersecting subject. Before Europeans discovered the Caribbean territories, they were primarily inhabited by indigenous tribes. It is a consensus among scholars that there were at least two main types of indigenous groups on the islands; the Taino, and the Arawaks.

European conquest began in the middle of the second millennium and consisted of many of the strongest European powers. Specifically Spain, Portugal, England, the Netherlands, and France who hoped to capitalize on the gold and other goods of the areas. Christopher Columbus was the first to travel to the Caribbean and his initial travels landed him in Cuba, the Bahamas, and the island of Hispaniola, present day Dominican Republic and Haiti. Columbus returned to Europe with small amounts of gold which he obtained from the Indians native to the island which he enslaved. This discovery of gold prompted other European nations to travel to the islands looking for similar wealth.

The impact of this conquest of the Caribbean by the European powers had severe consequences for the islands and their original habitants. The discovery of sugar cane in particular had a devastating impact on the well being of the islands. At this time, sugar was Britain’s largest export, and due to this, the Caribbean became their most important area of interest. The sugar cane fields led to the enslavement of the locals for their manual labor as their abundant work force allowed little worry of a decline in the demand of sugar. This exploitation led to rough economic situations for the islands even after the abolition of slavery in the 19th century. When the colonizers left the islands, they took much of the wealth with them leaving little opportunities for those left behind on the island. With no capital to work with, it is extremely difficult to get an economy off the ground and get the wheels of capitalism rolling. These days, the islands mostly depend on tourism as a means of generating a healthy economy. The coastlines of many of the islands are littered with elaborate and expansive luxury resorts. The islands are a hub for both American and European tourists with many major airlines having the islands of the Caribbean listed as a destination.

The economic and social state of the Caribbean set the mood for many of the works of literature that come from the island. Coming of age tales that illustrate the hardships of life in the Caribbean are very common. The poverty and constant violent state are common depictions of Caribbean life for those native to the island as well as the illustration of a totally different scene at the hotels and resorts on the same island.

Sources:

The history of the Caribbean - (http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43/index.html)

History of the Caribbean - (http://www.destination360.com/caribbean/history)