Empire’s Crossroads

This paper offers a summary of the first four chapters of the novel "Empire's Crossroads." The chapters are then linked to the real world and the lives of Caribbean people today.
Carrie Gibson's novel, Empire's Crossroads, focuses on Colombus' presence in the region he called heavenly, which included the northern rim of South America all the way to Cuba. Unlike the other regions he saw, he thought the Caribbean was a land full of possibilities, and he also considered relocating there (Gibson 1-20). Gibson takes us on a trip with Columbus, from his first arrival in the city and naming it Salvador to the present day. In 1492, the British, Spanish, and Swedes among other nations landed in the Caribbean islands, and for the next two centuries, they derived a lot of resources from the land that they exported back to Europe. Gibson looks the early years of slavery and sugarcane growth at the islands as well as the rebellions that the slaves and natives would later direct towards the settlers. The author also reveals some of the reasons that contributed to the revolts against the settlers rule in the islands.

The Spaniards were the first to benefit from the Island’s prosperity. Columbus, in his first visit to the islands, he claimed that he was warmly welcomed by the natives. With time, he adapted to the Caribbean culture. He described the American natives as welcoming, sweet and loving. He thought that the islands were heavenly and were far much better than his motherland. After spending some time in the islands, he sends a report to the king of Spain, and in his letter, he stated that the land was rich in resources and the people were friendly (Gibson 1-20). The Spaniards would later migrate into the Caribbean islands seeking prosperity in regions such as Panama, Mexico, and Cuba. In areas such as Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, they build cathedrals and were involved in various infrastructure developments. They extracted minerals such as gold, silver, and copper and shipped them to Spain. Colonizers in the islands were also interested in taking advantage of the existing fertile lands to grow different types of crops in large scale.

One of Caribbean first indigenous cash crop was tobacco. The colonizers also saw a lot of potential in sugarcane. The two crops were to be cultivated in large scale and exported to Europe where they were processed. However, they were faced with the problem of lack of adequate labor to work in the fields. Driven by the challenge, they moved into Africa where they acquired slaves, mostly from the West African region (Gibson 23-36). The slaves worked tirelessly on the agricultural lands and were subjected to poor working conditions. As at 1700, more than 400,000 slaves had been transported from the West Coasts of Africa to Caribbean Islands. Increased labor contributed to an enhancement in the volumes of exports to European countries. Nations such as Britain, Spain, and France benefited immensely from the vast sugar plantations and the minerals. Additionally, the Ameridian were divided into peaceful warmongering groups that would later turn against the white settlers.

The later 18th century marked the beginning of a long revolutionary path taken by the slaves in the islands. The slaves on the French colony of Saint-Domingue were the first to revolt, and it hardly took long before they overthrew the white settlers that were in control of the plantations. Apparently, this provided a platform for the declaration of independence of the Republic of Haiti in 1804. European governments later abolished slavery and started leaving the islands. By the time they were leaving, the Caribbean was multicultural, demarcated by individuals from different backgrounds (Gibson 23-36). According to the author, factors such as the terrain and the collaboration of the natives played a critical role in the deterration of the island’s conquest. The density of the forests in Jamaica and other parts of the islands made it hard for the natives to be detected by the Europeans and it hardly took long before the revolt came to an end.

Relationship between the chapters and the modern world

There are various things in the book’s chapters that are evident in the modern world. Racism stands out as one of those issues that were experienced in the form of slavery in the islands but is still evident today. The Europeans that visited the Caribbean islands considered themselves superior over the natives. As they migrated into the islands in large numbers, they started building social halls, cathedrals and were also involved in infrastructure development. Initially, the Caribbean people were welcoming, and they interacted freely with the settlers. The Europeans, on the other hand, started taking charge of the fertile lands and areas that they believed were a lot of opportunities (Gibson 45-59). The natives and the slaves were discriminated and sidelined because the whites believed that anything from the islands would be used in the development of their home nations. With more slaves getting into the Caribbean, racial discrimination increased significantly, and the blacks were subjected to forced labor and suffering in the plantations. Discrimination based on race is still evident in the modern world. Complaints of racism have in the past decade been on the rise, which is a sad thing in the modern era. Mostly, people from the African background have on several occasions been victims of the Whiteman’s segregation. The vice has left most of the victims devastated. In her book, Gibson believes that racism is an extension of slavery in the modern world. Had the issue been addressed beforehand, racial discrimination would not be experienced in various parts of Europe and America today.

Migration is another thing that has been discussed in detail in the four chapters which are also a practice that is evident in the modern world. Columbus and his fellow Spaniards initially moved to the islands in an expedition mission only to discover that the Caribbean islands were lands with opportunities and could be beneficial to their home nations. Word spread so fast to the European nations on the heavenly-like islands, and in 1492, ships from Europe started docking on the coasts (Gibson 45-59). Individuals from Europe, Spain, and Sweden moved into the islands, having in mind that they were to explore regions that were rich in resources and were fertile. In the later years, more migrations were experienced both from Europe and Africa (slaves). In the modern era, individuals still migrate in search of greener pastures. Some of the factors that contribute to the movement of people from one region to the other include education, jobs, tourism, and wars. During winters, people from Europe and the U.S. migrate to Africa seeking the hot sunshine and lovely weather. Africans, on the other hand, move to America and European nations in search of better job opportunities, better medical facilities, and education. The people from the Carribean islands have also in the past migrated to Canada and the U.S., and this has further been as a result of increasing globalization.

The four chapters also focus on cultural changes as a result of the infiltration of the whites into the Caribbean. The cultures of the natives started eroding with time, and most of these individuals slowly embraced the western culture. With the significant changes happening on the island regarding people’s everyday lives, the Europeans seized the opportunities and started colonizing the natives. They grabbed sugarcane and tobacco plantations that belonged to the natives and ensured that all the produces were exported to their mother countries (Gibson 45-59). As for culture changes, the whites build schools and constructed cathedrals that were to be used for worship. Only their children attended the schools, but this brought realization to the natives that education was a powerful tool. As for religious denominations, the European set up various worship centers and with time, the Caribbean started attending religious services. Cultural changes are evident in the modern world. Migration of individuals from Europe and America, for instance, has had a significant impact on the African culture. Most of these individuals from Africa try to copy the white’s style of living and dressing. In the event of fashion trends, they too will not want to be left behind (Connors 68). Same-sex marriage initially originated from the U.S. but has currently been allowed in various countries around the world. Apparently, this implies that interactions of people from different backgrounds tend to have a significant effect on cultural erosion or adoption. People in the British Islands, for example, have a deep-rooted British culture ranging from their administrative systems to their daily lives.

The chapters also portray that most of the superior nations tend to take advantage of those inferior countries by utilizing their resources and labor for their benefit. On their discovery that the Caribbean islands were full of opportunities, the Europeans migrated in droves into the regions. They setup structures where they temporarily lived. In the process, they brought developments in the islands, which the natives thought were beneficial to them. However, with time, they took charge of the vast sugarcane and tobacco plantations which were primarily significant in the European economic growth (Connors 45). The natives were left as laborers in the agricultural lands. Minerals such as gold and silver that were extracted from the region ended up being traded in Europe while the home dwellers in the islands were subjected to poverty. In today’s lives, such happenings are still evident. Some American and European firms benefit from the raw materials from developing countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. These regions, on the other hand, are left grappling with poverty and slow economic growth. Those countries with minerals in Africa, such as Congo and the Central Republic of Africa, have in the past four decades been at constant wars. The wars are fueled by the white supremacies whose main goal is to benefit from the minerals in the regions. From a bigger picture, it is clear that, even in the modern world, superior nations still trounce developing economies by unfairly benefiting from their resources.

Relationship with the people living in the Caribbean

The people living in the Caribbean were the main recipients of the European infringement and infiltration during the 16th to 19th century. During that period, the island underwent significant transformations that affect the modern people lives. One of those areas that were impacted was the island’s culture. The natives slowly adapted to the European and African cultures. Their religious practices and lifestyles also changed over time. In the modern world, the traditional Caribbean culture has been immensely eroded, and they have adapted the western culture, ranging from their dressing, music and lifestyles. Most of the islands use English as their primary language, and the education system is westernized.

Most of the islands in the Caribbean are underdeveloped and have high poverty index despite the heavy presence of Europeans in the historical era. The economic challenges experienced in the modern world were triggered in the ancient period (Connors 68). White settlers transferred resources such as minerals and agricultural produces from the islands to their home nations. In so doing, the Caribbean remained economically unstable while the European nations amassed wealth and enjoyed rapid growth. In the today’s world, the islands have lagged behind regarding their economy. Most of the people in the regions are poor and have been forced to migrate to countries such as the U.S. and Canada in search of better livelihoods.

Conclusion

Gibson, in her book, provides an assessment of the Caribbean Island’s history. The historical happenings in the islands are still evident in the modern world, some of which include racial discrimination, economic disparity, and cultural changes.





































Work Cited

Connors, Michael W. Carribean Elegance. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2002. Print.

Gibson, Carrie. Empire's Crossroads. 2014. Print.