Southern Colonies and the Caribbean

1
Southern Colonies and the Caribbean
2
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.

3
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 Empires 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 1621.
• Once established, these colonies were prone to
  attacks by the Spanish after they were able to
  return.

4
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

5
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 1660s, 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

6
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.