Why did the English and French establish colonies in the Caribbean?

Why did the English and French establish colonies in the Caribbean?

These colonies brought in gold, and other European powers, most specifically England, the Netherlands, and France, hoped to establish profitable colonies of their own. Imperial rivalries made the Caribbean a contested area during European wars for centuries.

Did the British have colonies in the Caribbean?

The British West Indies (BWI) were the British territories in the West Indies: Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

What colonies did France have in the Caribbean?

French Caribbean

• Guadeloupe.
• Martinique.
• Saint-Barthélemy.
• Saint Martin.
• French Guiana.

Did the French have colonies in the Caribbean?

France’s most important Caribbean colonial possession was established in 1664, when the colony of Saint-Domingue (today’s Haiti) was founded on the western half of the Spanish island of Hispaniola. In the 18th century, Saint-Domingue grew to be the richest sugar colony in the Caribbean.

When did the British came to the Caribbean?

The first Carribean islands to be settled by the British were St Kitts (1623/4) in the north-east and Barbados (1627) in the south-east corner of the Caribbean Basin. When this island filled up, English-speakers left for other locations, especially for Jamaica after it was taken by the British from the Spanish in 1660.

How did the British and French rule their colonies?

France ruled their colonies with Direct Rule, using officials and soldiers from France to administer their colonies. Britain used Indirect Rule, using Sultans, Chiefs, or other local rulers to govern their colonies.

Which countries colonized the Caribbean?

The four main colonial powers in the Caribbean were the Spanish, English, Dutch, and French. Other countries that held possession of various islands at different times were Portugal, Sweden, and Denmark.

Where was the first permanent French colony in the Caribbean?

Haiti, the western half of the island of Hispaniola, the eastern half is the Dominican Republic. Pierre Belain d’Esnambuc was a French trader and adventurer in the Caribbean, who established the first permanent French colony, Saint-Pierre, on the island of Martinique in 1635.

What was the French colony in North America called?

French North America was known as ‘Nouvelle France’ or New France. During the 16th century, the French colonization of the Americas began.

How did the French colonize the French West Indies?

In 1690, French woodcutters from Martinique and Guadeloupe begin to set up timber camps to supply the French islands with wood and gradually become permanent settlers. France had a colony for several years, they imported slaves from West Africa, Martinique and Guadeloupe to work on its plantations.

When did the British take over the French colonies?

In the meanwhile, the newly resumed war with Britain by the French, resulted in the British capture of practically all remaining French colonies. These were restored at the Treaty of Amiens in 1802, but when war resumed in 1803, the British soon recaptured them.