History of the Caribbean: A Captivating Guide to Caribbean History, Starting from Christopher Columbus through the Wars of Religion, Slavery, and ... Present (European Exploration and Settlement)

I love Captivating History books! They are always well-written and very interesting. They provide enough info but not too much that drags the book down. This book is no different.

While I had some background in mostly the tourist islands where we either stayed or visited on a cruise ship I learned about the politics of this diverse region and its tumultuous history. Before traveling there read this book as it will enrich your experience. I would have liked maps and pictures which is way it gets four stars.

I have long been interested in the history of the Caribbean. So I was very happy with this book, and in conclusion I would say that as much as it is possible to summarize the history of 7000 islands in a short piece of writing, this book did it very well. We do not know much about the history of the islands until the arrival of Columbus. Here, however, I learned new things about the natives and how they blended in with the conquerors. I also gained an understanding of the territorial occupation maneuvers of the medieval European powers, and how the islands were exchanged between them, up to the present day. It was good to read about how some of these islands gradually became independent in modern times and what kind of struggles they had to go through. Unfortunately, this often resulted in the people being oppressed by self-elected dictators. For those who like to understand history from short books before deciding whether they want to delve deeper into it, this is a great book. I can only recommend it, as well as to tourists who want to learn about the history of the Caribbean before visiting it.

The history of the Caribbean before Christopher Columbus is mostly unknown even though there were indigenous people there. Their stories from that time have been lost to time. When Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean, he thought that he had made it to the East Indies. When he realized his mistake, he quickly scrambled to prove that what he had found would be profitable and a benefit to the Spanish Empire. Soon the native population was enslaved and forced to work, many died from diseases brought by the Europeans that they had no immunity to. Sugar became one of the most profitable exports from the islands. As the sugar plantations grew so did the need for more slaves, soon slaves outnumbered the free on many of the islands. In Haiti, the slaves revolted, took over the island and chased the whites from the island. As the United States became aware of its need for national security, Cuba and its close proximity to Florida became problematic. Cuba was a politically unstable island. Cuba wanted independence from Spain but what role should the U.S. play in Cuba's fight. When a riot started in Havana the U.S. sent the U.S.S. Maine to Havana to protect the American's there. A month after the ship arrived it exploded and the U.S. declared war on Spain. The U.S. invaded the Spanish held islands in the Caribbean, including the Philippians, Guam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. After a few months of war, the Spanish sued for peace. In the Treaty of Paris, Cuba was granted independence and the U.S. recongnized Puerto Rico as a Territory. Cuba and the U.S. would go on to have a long rocky relationship.

I am really into pirates and their history in the Caribbean. This was awesome in giving me the history of this area. Like many area of the world they too fought for freedom. Both the French and American fight for freedom had their effect on the Caribbean. Remember in this area slavery was big business. I was interesting in knowing that France outlawed it in 1794. The Napoleonic Wars even had it effect on the Caribbean as would America Civil War. It is amazing what this area endured. This book is a very good overview and an excellent resource.

The Caribbean has over seven thousand islands which comprise thirteen sovereign nations and more that are still subjects of parent (colonizing) countries. When Columbus ‘discovered’ the Caribbean for the European nations, the Islands were occupied by indigenous natives who were ethnically related to each other, but somewhat regionally divided. A lot of the pre-Columbian history is unknown, or yet to be discovered, because the tribes did not have a tradition of oral or written history keeping. Documented (post-Columbus) Island activities reflected the events that occurred within the European Community up through the 19th Century as the Islands followed their Colonizers’ politics and policies with the BIG exception of Slavery which was an over-riding source of controversy and early local experience. The Author provides details of how the American & French Revolutions and Napoleonic War affected the various Caribbean colonies/governments. Coverage of the post 19th century dictators who ruled nations in the area is provided, including the Castro's. There are so many countries within the Caribbean Sea that, unfortunately, not all are reviewed here with the same level of detail, Still, if you wish to learn about our (USA) Island neighbors to the East, this is a good place to start.

This is one book that should have had a sequel. The history of this part of the world, is nothing short o phenomenal , considering the number of European countries they Had their claws in the many nations during that time in history, when the American continent was disband being developed. Well done….An excellent read……

Really interesting publication with so many issues to think about. A Web of compelling further reading ignited.

Very concise, well described and esucational and an easy read. I strongly recommend this book for whoever is interested in the history of such a nice place.

Good primer on a history of the Carribean which is a base to look at more detailed history and economic overview.