Southern Colonies and the Caribbean

The Caribbean Islands Most Important destination for English immigrants coming to the New World. More than half of the English immigrants settled in these islands Why? – Majority of money made from colonies was made here.

Conflict with the Spanish, natives and other European countries. While the colonies in the Caribbean did maintain contact with colonies to the North, they were also surrounded by the Spanish Empire’s colonies Spain claimed title to all of the Caribbean islands, but onlyhad settlements on the largest of the islands: Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. – England began to colonize more of this area once Spain was distracted by a war with the Netherlands in – Once established, these colonies were prone to attacks by the Spanish after they were able to return.

Economies of the Caribbean Relied on exporting crops; began with tobacco and cotton, but with the tropical climate and growing demand in Europe, colonists quickly realized the best crop to grow would be sugar. Sugar Plantations and Slavery – Sugar is a very labor intensive crop and the native population was too decimated to provide it – Colonists begin by using indentured servants, but English workers had a very difficult time adapting to the arduous work and tropical climate – Quickly realized that imported slaves from Africa would be the best option. – On islands like Barbados, where the sugar plantation business was very successful, many planters become tough and aggressive attempting to meet the growing demand

Masters and slaves in the Caribbean These plantations grow until you have a small, mostly white, group of plantation owners and an overwhelming majority of African slaves. – This could create a very explosive environment for both parties. Beginning in the 1660’s, all islands adopted legal codes that would give absolute authority over slaves to their masters. A master could even murder any slave at will with no consequence

Masters and slaves in the Caribbean (continued) With the ample money being made, and growing demand, the plantation owners were constantly looking to expand and cut costs. – Often found that it was cheaper to pay for new slaves than to attempt to maintain the ones they had. – It was not uncommon for plantation owners to work their slaves to death Life in the Caribbean was harsh even for the whites. – Though they did not work as hard as the slaves, many had trouble adapting to the climate and others fell succumb to tropical diseases to which they had no immunity.