ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to extend a heartfelt gratitude to the following persons who have made the
completion of this assignment possible. The Woodbrook Modern Studies Department, for
guiding me through this entire study and correcting me along the way. My mother who made all
the resources that I needed available and easily accessible and my friends for the constant
reminders and encouragement to remain committed to the task at hand. Furthermore, I am
extremely thankful for the guidance and constructive criticism as this is what shaped the topic of
research to what it has become and for that I am truly grateful. Lastly, I would like to thank God
for granting me the health and strength to carry out my research and for the determination to
continue.

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 THESIS STATEMENT AND QUESTION

Thesis: European Arrival and Colonisation in the Caribbean.

Question: How did the arrival and colonisation of the Caribbean by Europeans affect the
Kalinago people and their society?

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 RATIONALE

Many historians have wondered for a long time and have questioned the political and cultural
changes during European colonization. I chose this topic because I would like to better, analyze
and interpret the significant changes such as culture, agriculture, political structure, diseases and
enslavement, which the Kalinagos would have experienced during European colonisation in the
Caribbean and how it would have impacted their society which would eventually lead to their
decline. History encourages critical thinking and this topic brought out that opportunity. By
diving into this research, I intend to broaden my knowledge on the topic. I plan to make this
information available for future reference to other students.

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There is no question that the arrival and settlement of Europeans had a huge impact on Kalinago
society but before European colonisation the Kalinagos had an organised structure and society.
During this time the Kalinagos had invented some advanced technology and tools and had
developed certain skills in hunting, weaving and architecture. This included the invention of
baskets, ropes, nets, pottery, griddles, arrows and spears. Little did they know that when the
Europeans would arrive their whole culture and society would drastically change? When
European colonisation was taking place the Kalinagos were forced to adapt to a new lifestyle and
change their whole culture and society. They had to learn new languages such as Spanish and
were forced into Christianity. The colonisation of the Kalinagos would eventually led to their
decline.

Disease was a huge aspect of Spanish colonialism and European dominance. The Kalinago group
was devastated by an epidemic of European infectious diseases such as smallpox, malaria,
measles, influenza and typhus to which they had no natural immunity. Due to the Renaissance,
Europeans at the time were now beginning to understand certain medical and scientific aspects of
biology and diseases. They did not fully understand what is today called Epidemiology or the
study of communicable diseases. Animals and humans on both sides evolved and adapted to
these respective diseases and therefore developed respective immunity. Human beings in Europe
lived in contact with diseases in the Old World for thousands of years, so over this time their
bodies developed resistance/defenses/anti-bodies which protected them through the development
of their bodies immune system. Europeans developed immunity to many diseases the worst of
which was pox which they contracted from many bovine species they interacted with. When
Columbus crossed the Atlantic and Old-World inhabitants entered the New World this happened
in a matter of months and some of their bodies and immune system could not
evolve/adapt/change so quickly. Within two centuries of European contact and settlement over
95% of the indigenous population had been infected and wiped out by Old World diseases. They
were also killed out by Warfare and they were also often forced to work to death in the fields and
mines.
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1
Baldeosingh, Kevin, M. Caribbean History for CSEC. Oxford University Press. 2011. Pg.16.
Baldeosingh, Kevin, M. Caribbean History for CSEC. Oxford University Press. 2011. Pg. 30.

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2

The Spanish introduced two systems of forced labour which were the Repartimiento and
Encomienda system. Some of the main facts about the Repartimiento System includes: Those
who could not or did not produce were abused, beaten and even had their hands cut off, women
were physically and sexually abused and put to work in the homes of the Spanish settlers and
individual men served 2-4 months of repartimiento labour and were then exempt for a year.
Columbus was the first to introduce the repartimiento system which he used to appease settlers.
Columbus gave permission for Spanish settlers to enslave the Kalinagos so that they could work
in the fields and mines to produce goods that could be sent back to the motherland. Males
ranging from 18-60 years old were taken captive, they had to work and produce certain amounts
of gold between 30 and 60 days. They were abused and forced to work in some instances where
their hand could be cut off as punishment. The repartimiento system was very abusive but more
so inefficient and settlers kept complaining about the lack of labour. It also imposed conversion
to Christianity and had specific days where the indigenous peoples were gathered and taught the
Christian faith and European language. They died in large numbers in mines. An intercolonial
slave trade developed, and people were taken from one island to replace those who were dying
out than others.

Spanish administrators, priests and other clergy men all constructed various justifications that the
indigenous peoples were heathens or pagans and they needed saving no matter what. In 1509 the
Spanish King and Queen sent notice of a document to all barborous nations which was called the
Requerimiento which translates to The Requisition or Recommendation of needs. This document
from the King and Queen claimed that God had ordained them to be the subduers of all
barborous nations and that the Roman Catholic Church had assumed responsibility for
converting all barborous nations. The Kalinagos did not conform willingly to the requisation
mainly because they could not understand it. Roman catholic religion was further forced upon
the Kalinagos to subjugate them inorder to provide a labour force for Spanish senders. By 1512,
the framework of the requisation forms would later be known as The Laws of Burgos.

2
Kanarick, Yvette. Caribbean History Themes Volume 1. Caribbean Educational Publishers. 2010. Pg. 131.
Honychurch Lenox, The Caribbean People Book 2. Thomas Nelsons and Sons Ltd. 1995. Pg.24.

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 The laws of Burgos firmly established slavery as a legal institution by instituting directives for
the conditions of servitude. The Kalinagos were captured and the requisation was read to them
and they were put to work.
During the initial phase of contact there were many instances of abuse and sexual exploitation of
indigenous women. European sailors took advantage of indigenous women, forcibly taking them
from their homes and exploiting them sexually. Women were also kept as property and slaves to
work for and satisfy European values. Women bore the brunt of patriarchal society and were
considered sub-servant to men. In many instances Std's were contracted by indigenous women
by European men. As a result of co-habitation, children were born that were mixed and, in many
cases, they faced criticism because of their ancestry.

Europeans and enslavement caused the indigenous peoples to be taken away from their lands.
They were not allowed to farm, and this caused starvation. In addition to this, the introduction of
new animals such as horses, cows, pigs, chicken, sheep and goats that all ate the crops of the
indigenous peoples and destroyed their gardens. The Kalinagos could not kill these animals since
they were of important economic and food value to them. These animals trampled and destroyed
the fields and were even put there to graze even though the Spanish knew it will lead to
starvation.

CONCLUSION
3
Honychurch, Lennox, The Caribbean People Third Edition 2. Thomas Nelsons and Sons Ltd. 1980. Pg. 89.
Honychurch, Lenox, The Caribbean People Third Edition 2. Nelson and Sons Ltd. 1980. Pg.87.
Kanarick, Yvette, Caribbean History Core Course for CSEC. Caribbean Educational Publishers. 2009. Pg. 36.

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From this topic it can be concluded that there are several factors that suggests how the arrival
and colonisation of the Caribbean by Europeans had a negative impact on the Kalinago society.
Colonization has had a great impact on the lives of Indigenous people. Since the first European
settlers came to the Caribbean, the way of life, traditions, and culture of Indigenous people have
been threatened. Additionally, their mental and physical health have been impacted by methods of
assimilation and government policies. Numerous diseases were introduced to Native communities
thanks to the contact with Europeans. However, the social conditions of Indigenous people also
contributed to the creation of health problems.

The deposition of their land, involvement in violent conflict and exposure to diseases, resulted in
the death of a vast number of indigenous people. For the small population that did survive
through this period, their lives were irreversibly changed forever. On the frontlines of climate
change, they are faced with the degradation of their environments and livelihoods, the
disappearance of their ancestral languages and the exploitation of their traditional lands.
.

Contact between Europeans and Native Americans led to a demographic disaster of diseases.
Many of the epidemic diseases that were well established in the Old World were absent from the
Americas before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492. The catastrophic epidemics that
accompanied the European conquest of the New World decimated the indigenous population of
the Americas. Influenza, smallpox, measles, and typhus fever were among the first European
diseases imported to the Americas. During the first hundred years of contact with Europeans,
Native Americans were trapped in a virtual web of new diseases. European diseases, seeds,
weeds, and animals irreversibly transformed the original biological and social landscape of the
Americas.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Baldeosingh, Kevin, M. Caribbean History for CSEC. Oxford University Press. 2011.
 Kanarick, Yvette, Caribbean History Themes Volume 1. Caribbean Educational
Publishers. 2010.
 Honychurch, Lenox, The Caribbean People Third Edition 2. Thomas Nelsons and Sons
Ltd. 1980.
 Kanarick, Yvette, Caribbean History Core Course for CSEC. Caribbean Educational
Publishers. 2009.
 Honychurch, Lenox, The Caribbean People Book 2. Thomas Nelsons and Sons Ltd.
1995.

Additional Links
 http://countrystudies.us/caribbean-islands/5.htm

 https://www.open.uwi.edu/sites/default/files/bnccde/antigua/conference/papers/honychur
ch.html

 https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/exploration-of-north-america

 https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/11/european-diseases-left-genetic-mark-native-
americans

 https://www.thoughtco.com/spains-american-colonies-encomienda-system-2136545

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