A Brief History of the Caribbean Region
Traces the development of the region from discovery by Christopher Columbus to independence of the nations from Colonial rule. Examines the impact the varying...
Hawkins and Drake’s Accidental Voyage to San Juan de Ulúa
Before becoming privateers for Queen Elizabeth, slave traders Hawkins and Drake took a detour to San Juan de Ulúa.
The greed of John Hawkins and...
Caribbean Christmas: Christmas Traditions in St. Kitts
St. Christopher, commonly known as St. Kitts, was originally inhabited by the Caribs before colonization by the British. The British then brought enslaved Africans...
Irish Catholics Indentured in Colonial Barbados
Irish Catholics and Scots "Barbadosed" by Oliver Cromwell did not fare well as indentured servants.
With both religious and political origins, Oliver Cromwell’s invasion of...
Taíno Caciques of Hispaniola and Columbus’ Men
The Taíno were all but erased from history within a generation of Columbus’ arrival; but before disease, violence, and slavery killed off the Taíno...
Barbados: Indentured Servants to African Slavery
The first plantation-based society in the Caribbean, Barbados set the example for slave-based monoculture by moving from indentured servants to slave labor.
Plantation societies require...
San Juan de Ulúa Battle of 1568: John Hawkins and Francis Drake
On September 16, 1568, Hawkins and Drake sailed seven ships single file toward San Juan de Ulúa with the English flag flying. Only two...
John Newton: Sailor to Slave Ship Captain
The man who wrote the hymn "Amazing Grace" led a colorful life before penning his famous hymn lyrics.
Perhaps the best-known slave-ship captain in history...
Early Caribbean Slave Revolts, Rebellions, and Conspiracies
Caribbean slave owners kept careful watch for suspected slave rebellions and thwarted most very quickly, but the Coromantees and Maroons kept trying.
The Caribbean islands...
USS MAINE Explosion in Havana in 1898: The Other Theory
There are a few theories about why the USS MAINE exploded in the Havana Harbor in the late 19th century. Including one that no...