Social Effects |
Economic Effects |
Political Effects |
Environmental Effects |
Indigenous peoples were enslaved and most died of disease, overwork, and/or harsh treatment. The lucrative economy for sugar cane led to the arrival of African slaves as well as the popularization of piracy. The Caribbean now diverse backgrounds due to the slavery and European settlements. |
The Spaniards originally found large amounts of gold and forced the slaves to work in gold mines. Sugar cane, among other crops, were grown in the colonies. With time, the wealth from the agriculture, silver, and gold lead to inflation in Spain. |
Colonization in the Caribbean gave large amounts of power to many European countries. In the 1800s, many revolutions began, starting with Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Many colonies gained their independence within the last century, so they still have strong ties to Europe. |
The Europeans introduced many new plants and crops, including sugarcane, which became invasive. The indigenous peoples were skilled at agriculture, hunting, fishing, and navigating. After the Europeans arrived, they were used for gold mining instead of farming or hunting, and the focus shifted to trade that was more harmful to the environment. |