Access the Effects of the Spanish Settlement in Hispaniola on the Tainos During the 15th to 16th Century.

For the first ten years of colonization, Hispaniola was the only colony in the Caribbean where the Spanish settled. In the 16thcentury, Hispaniola was the centre of the Spanish colonial system in the Caribbean. It was known as the Pearl of the Caribbean. Just like in the other colonies, the Tainos thought that the Spaniards were gods and welcomed them into their villages. Columbus believed that Hispaniola had gold and forced the Tainos to work in the mines. Columbus also made the Tainos pay the Spanish a tribute to satisfy both the Crown’s and the settler’s greed for gold, and to obtain food for his settlement. It was easy to take control of the Tainos as they assumed that if they pleased the ‘gods’ that they would be richly rewarded in the afterlife. It was obvious from Columbus’ journals that the Tainos were not as used to battle and warfare as the Spaniards. Columbus noted that “with 50 men you could subject everyone and make them do what you wished” and that the natives were “such cowards and so fearful.” Due to these facts, it was seen that the Spaniards meet little resistance by the Tainos in Hispaniola. The Spanish conquest of the indigenous people in Hispaniola resulted in a new system of government, which has a negative effect on the Tainos, the introduction of different economic policies and activities and devastating changes in the Taino culture.
During this time period, the Spaniards were interested in gold, glory and god. In the name of the Spanish Queen, Queen Isabella, Columbus and his men were to acquire colonies to improve the power of their country. They came to the Caribbean looking for a new trading route to the Indies. However, he found the Caribbean instead and called it the West Indies. Gold was seen as very important in Europe and the more a country had, the wealthier it was. With the introduction of other religions, such as the Muslim Moors, Queen Isabella was determined to spread Christianity to all of her colonies; old and new. Not only

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