Caribbean History

 Gian Rendon

2/9/2021

Caribbean History

    The Caribbean region is full of plenty historical highlights. Many of the costal regions and islands have conquered other regions or been conquered by other regions. Many eventually claimed independences and these historical events continue to be reflected in the people, food, and culture. One of the settlements in the Caribbean we are going to examine historically is Colombia. As stated in the virtual Caribbean library, Colombia was first settled by the Spanish in 1499, and the first stable settlement on the land was not established until 1510. The first city, Santa Marta, was founded in 1525, followed by Cartagena in 1533. (Fun fact: I have actually been to both of these locations! They are gorgeous.) Eventually, an expedition was started by Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada. They ran into the indigenous people of Colombia, who were decimated through diseases or or violence. The Spanish in the region eventually started importing Africans for labor, and purchased them from Portugal, France, England, and the Dutch. The slaves were used for agriculture and for construction of forts and mining ores. Eventually, the Colombian Declaration of Independence was issued in 1810, although it was not fully independent until Simon Bolivar proclaimed independence in 1819, as stated in the Virtual Caribbean Library. The country actually was the first constitutional government of South America! Eventually, Slavery was also abolished in 1851. The history of indigenous people also continues to thrive into the present. Many tribes maintain scared sites that are integral to their culture, and many groups continue to maintain their tribal languages and identities by raising awareness to their role in Colombia's cultural heritage. It definitely surprised me that Colombia took 300 years for it's independence to be declared. Despite it's history full of conflict and it's modern day reputation as a drug haven and a dangerous country, Colombia is now one of the more affordable and desirable tourist spots to visit in the world.