In 1517 King Charles V of Spain authorized the draft of slaves. The native people of the island known as the Tainos were the first to be enslaved. Those who escaped or survived fled to the mountains and mixed with escaped African Slaves (Maroons). WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NATIVE TAINOS PEOPLE?

The ethnic group that was a direct result of the mixture between the African Slaves and the Tainos were the Zambos. French settlers to the island would later call the people of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry Marabou. ZAMBOS

As the “gateway” to the Caribbean, Hispaniola became a haven for Pirates. PIRACY French Pirate Jean Lafitte, who operated in New Orleans and Galveston was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti around 1782.

In the 17 th Century the Island of Hispaniola was divided into the Spanish Colony of Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) and the French Colony of Saint-Domingue (now the Republic of Haiti). With it’s geographic position the island has always been battered by both hurricanes and earthquakes. COLONIZATION

The Dominican Republic shares many characteristics with other former Spanish Colonies in the Caribbean such as Cuba and Puerto Rico. The Spanish Language & Catholicism are important cultural icons. Haiti’s Language comes from both French and African roots, this has shaped the very unique cultural elements that thrive within Haiti today. CULTURE ON THE ISLAND

Port-au-Prince was in the area with the most severe tremors HAITI EARTHQUAKE Though its location did allow for aid to come by ship.

The global community gave immediate support to the people of Haiti, but the millions of pounds of food sent after the earthquake had a negative effect on Haitian farmers, who could not compete and were driven into poverty HAITI EARTHQUAKE CONT.