In 1869 the desirability of San Domingo (Hispaniola island) as a coaling station for US vessels and other American interests there caused a movement toward the annexation of that republic to the United States. President Grant sent General Babcock to examine into the matter and, on his favourable report, a treaty was concluded on November the 29th,1869. The Senate rejected the treaty on June the 30th, 1870, and the movement became generally unpopular. Grant still persisted and Congress concurred in sending a commission, consisting of Wade, White and Howe, to examine the matter in 1871. Their report was favourable, but Congress continued to disapprove of annexation. Grant abandoned the question in a special message in April, 1871. Research San Domingo Question
Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul conceived the idea of forming a great French colonial empire in the Mississippi Valley, to balance the influence of the Anglo-Saxon race in America. To this end he acquired Louisiana from Spain by the treaty of San Ildefonso. San Domingo (the island of Hispaniola) was to be his military base, and its reconquest was to be a first step. However, the blacks of San Domingo revolted, took over the island and abolished slavery. His failure in attempts to recover the island, coming at the same time with the opportunity of renewing war with England, caused him, instantly abandoning the whole scheme, to sell Louisiana to the United States. Research San Domingo Revolt
Buccaneer was a name derived from the Carib boucan, a place for smoking meat, first given to European settlers in Haiti or Hispaniola, whose business was to hunt wild cattle and swine and smoke their flesh. In an extended sense the name was applied to English and French adventurers, mostly seafaring people, who, combining for mutual defence against the arrogant pretensions of the Spaniards to the dominion of the whole of America, frequented the West Indies in the 17th century, acquired predatory and lawless habits, and became ultimately, in many cases, little better than pirates.
The earliest association of these adventurers began about 1625, but they afterwards became much more formidable, and continued to be a terror until the opening of the 18th century, inflicting heavy losses upon the shipping trade of Spain, and even attacking large towns. Among their chief leaders were Montbars (Il exterminador), Peter the Great of Dieppe, L'Olonnas, de Busco, Van Horn, and the WelshmanHenry Morgan, who, in 1670, marched across the isthmus, plundered Panama, and after being knighted by Charles II, became deputy-governor of Jamaica. The last great exploit of the buccaneers was the capture of Carthagena in 1697, after which they are lost sight of in the annals of vulgar piracy. Research Buccaneer
Christopher Columbus (real name Cristoforo Colombo, known in Spanish as Christoval Colon) was an Italian navigator. He was born in 1451 at Genoa and died in 1506. His father, Domenico Colombo, a poor wool-comber, gave him a careful education. He appears to have gone to sea at an early age and to have navigated all parts of the Mediterranean and some of the coasts beyond the Straits of Gibraltar. In 1470 we find him at Lisbon, where he married the daughter of Bartolommeo de Palestrello, a distinguished navigator. He had gradually come to the conclusion that there were unknown lands belonging to Eastern Asia separated from Europe by the Atlantic: whilst the Portuguese were seeking to reach India by a south-east course round Africa he was convinced that there must be a shorter way by the west. He applied in vain to Genoa for assistance, and equally fruitless were his endeavours to interest John II of Portugal in the enterprise. He then determined to apply to the Spanish court; and after many disappointments he induced Ferdinand and Isabella to equip and man three vessels for a voyage of discovery.
It was early in the morning of Friday, on the 3rd of August, 1492, that Christopher Columbus set sail from the port of Palos, and after sailing for two months the expedition narrowly escaped failure. The variation of the needle so alarmed the crews that they were on the point of breaking out into open mutiny, and he was obliged to promise that he would turn back if three more days brought no discovery. On the third day (the 12th of October 1492) the island of Guanahani or San Salvador was sighted, which Christopher Columbus believed to belong to Eastern Asia and to be connected with India - a belief which he carried with him to his grave. Hence the mistaken name of Indians applied to the natives of America, and that of West Indies applied to the group of islands of which Guanahani forms one.
On landing Christopher Columbus threw himself upon his knees and kissed the earth, returning thanks to God. The natives collected round him in silent astonishment, and his men, ashamed of their disobedience and distrust, threw themselves at his feet, begging his forgiveness. Christopher Columbus, drawing his sword, planted the royal standard, and in the name of his sovereigns took possession of the country, which, in memory of his preservation, he called San Salvador. He then sailed in search of other lands, and discovered Cuba, St Domingo, and some other of the West India islands. Being so far successful, he built a fort at Hispaniola, Haiti, left some of his men there, and set out on his return to Europe, where he was received with almost royal honours.
In 1493 he set out on his second great voyage from Cadiz, with three large ships of heavy burden and fourteen caravels, carrying 1500 men. He discovered .the island of Dominica, and afterwards Mariegalante, Guadeloupe, and Porto Rico, and at length arrived at Hispaniola. Finding the colony destroyed, he built a fortified town, which he called, in honour of the queen, Isabella. He then left the island in order to make new discoveries, visited Jamaica, and returning after a voyage of five months, worn down with fatigue, found to his great joy that his brother Bartolommeo had arrived at Isabella with provisions and other supplies for the colony.
Meanwhile a general dissatisfaction had broken out among his companions, who, instead of the expected treasures, had found hardships and labour. This and news of calumnies being set on foot against him at home induced him to return to Spain, where his presence, and probably also the treasure he brought, silenced his enemies.
In May, 1498, he sailed with six vessels on his third voyage. Three of his vessels he sent direct to Hispaniola; with the three others he took a more southerly direction, and having discovered Trinidad and the continent of America, returned to Hispaniola, His colony had now been removed from Isabella, according to his orders, to the other side of the island, and a new fortress erected called St Domingo. Christopher Columbus found the colony in a state of confusion, but soon restored tranquillity. His enemies, in the meantime, endeavoured to convince his sovereigns that his plan was to make himself independent, and Christopher Columbus was not only displaced, but Francisco de Bobadilla, a new governor who had come from Spain, even sent him to that country in chains.
On his arrival in 1500 orders were sent directing him to be set at liberty and inviting him to court, but for this injurious treatment he never got redress, though great promises were made. After some time he was able to set out on his fourth and last voyage, in 1502, in four slender vessels supplied by the court. In this expedition he was accompanied by his brother Bartolommeo and his son Hernando. He encountered every imaginable disaster from storms and shipwreck, and returned to Spain, sick and exhausted, in 1504. The death of the queen soon followed, and he urged in vain on Ferdinand the fulfilment of his promises; but after two years of illness, humiliations, and despondency, Christopher Columbus died at Valladolid. His remains were transported, according to his will, to St Domingo, but on the cession of Hispaniola to France they were removed to Havana in Cuba in 1796. In 1899 they were carried back to Spain. Research Christopher Columbus
Sir John Hawkins was an English sailor, pirate and spy. He was born in 1532 at Plymouth and died in 1595. In 1562 he sailed with three ships to Sierra Leone where he acquired 300 black slaves and other goods, some stolen from Portuguese traders, and took them to Hispaniola where he traded them with the Spanish colonists for hides, spices and pearls. In 1569, after losing almost all these ships in his latest trading mission to the Spanish he returned to England and was banned from seafaring. He subsequently became a spy, and exposed the Duke of Norfolk's plot to rescue Mary Queen of Scots. In 1577 he became Treasurer of the Navy and in 1588 a rear-admiral under Sir Francis Drake in the navy. He pioneered the new low-charge warship in the English navy. Research John Hawkins
The Dominican Republic is a country in the east of the island Hispaniola. It has a total area of 48,730 km2 and a tropical climate with little seasonal temperature variation. The terrain is rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed. Natural resources are nickel, bauxite, gold, silver. The religion is 95% Roman Catholic and the language Spanish. The country that is now the Dominican Republic was formed in 1809 when the eastern part of Hispaniola island was returned to Spanish rule by the French, to whom Spain had ceded the entire island in 1795. The country declared itself an independent republic from Spain in 1821 and from 1822 to 1844 was annexed by neighbouring Haiti. The Dominican Republic further suffered a civil war in 1906. Research Dominican Republic
The Republic of Haiti (Hayti) is a republic in the west of the island of Hispaniola. It has a total area of 27,750 km2. The climate is tropical; semi-arid where the mountains in the east cut off trade winds. The terrain is mostly rough and mountainous. Natural resources are bauxite. The religion is 75-80% Roman Catholic (of which an overwhelming majority also practice Voodoo), 10% Protestant. The official language is French spoken by only 10% of population and Creole.
Haiti was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. It was then inhabited by perhaps 2,000,000 natives, but so ruthlessly did the Spaniards deal with the aborigines that within a century they practically exterminated them, having introduced negro slaves in their place.
Haiti was colonised by France in 1630, settling in the western part of the island, the eastern part remaining Spanish, and the western French part formally becoming a French colony in 1697 with black slaves brought from Africa to work plantations. In 1790, the slaves led by Toussaint L'Ouverture revolted, took control and abolished slavery. France sent troops to Haiti who killed L'Ouverture, regained control and re-established slavery. In 1804 independence was proclaimed following a revolt led by Jean-Jaques Dessalines and Henri Christophe and Jean-Jaques Dessalines was crowned emperoro of Haiti. He was assassinated in 1806, and the Spaniards regained the eastern portion of the island.
In 1821 the Spanish portion declared itself independent of the mother country, and assumed the name of Spanish Hayti; but it was subjugated by Koyer, the president of the Haytian Republic, or French Hayti. In 1844 the inhabitants of the Spanish portion rose, and formed themselves into a republic under the name of San Domingo (RepublicaDominica). In 1861 Santana negotiated a reunion of the state with Spain, but Spain evacuated the island in 1865. Research Haiti
The Roanoke Colony was an abortive British colony in North Carolina. In 1584 Sir WalterRaleigh, having obtained a large grant of land from Queen Elizabeth, sent out, on April the 9th, seven vessels and 108 settlers under the command of Sir Richard Grenville. After skirting the West Indies and Hispaniola, they landed at Roanoke, in North Carolina, on June the 20th. Ralph Lane was left in charge of the settlement and Grenville returned to England. During the following winter Lane made numerous exploring expeditions and suffered greatly from Indian attacks. In the spring he received some aid in men and supplies from Sir Francis Drake, but finally the settlers persuaded Francis Drake to take them home. Soon after Richard Grenville arrived with new settlers. These had been destroyed by the Indians when, in 1587, a new colony of Raleigh's, under White, came out. White himself returned to England. When he came back in 1590 he found the colony vanished. It seems to have been destroyed by the natives, though there is a theory that descendants of the colonists are still to be found in North Carolina. Research Roanoke Colony
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