European Colonialism

Europe began the initial framing of society. In the early 1900’s, Europe (England&France) colonized and occupied all of the Caribbean islands. Europe looked at the islands as basically money for them; they yielded things that Europeans use in their daily lives and can also make profit of off. In addition to colonizing Caribbean islands, they occupied a few African countries and India. European colonial powers literally used these countries as factories for their own personal benefits. They came to these countries and basically took over, running every operation that happened on the island. They sold the milk islanders used for their cereal, the beds …show more content…
In the history of the Caribbean, what it means to be “black” “west Indian” “west African” “Dominican and Haitian” is different and has many different contexts. The way colonists treated non white people have made race an issue/battle. In the scope of a white person, anyone with color is black;or even further, looked down on and as less “Wherever he goes, the Negro remains a Negro” But in the eyes of a black person it means a variety of things. White people have had the tendency to group all non-white people into one category because they are automatically at a disadvantage and lower class. Colonialism created a race hierarchy that has put black people at the bottom every time. Because of this, black peoples within the black race also have to convince themselves, and others what it means to be black…or further more what “type” of black they are. To be black was to be uneducated, barbaric, and lower class. Many Europeans, whether they admit to or not, were racist. France Fanon wrote the book black skin white masks to interview people who lived in the French colonized islands. The perspectives of both black and white people are explained in the book. For many whites, it was simple they were the dominant power and the majority. To be white was to have a sense of power in everyday life over those who are not white. These white people actually feel threatened by black people because they did not want black …show more content…
Many people living in the Caribbean faced poor living conditions. Natives were forced to work long and hard hours for very minimal pay. The work they did was often on a plantation harvesting the crops that Europeans could make major profit off of. The harsh reality of the system of work in the colonies was that the people who literally are the foundation of all of the European ran business received none of the benefits. Any benefits of the companies were directly to the European colonies. Black people had to do very demanding work throughout their history…including the building of the panama canal, the constant care of plantations, and often “slave work.” This is one factor that drove a lot of Caribbean peoples out of the area and back to the motherland (Britain). Factors such as little education opportunity, controlled living, and disrespect were also reasons Caribbean peoples migrated away from the islands. People did not necessarily want to leave their homes however the opportunities and allowance of progression in society were limited so it seemed as if that was the best option. One instance of how and why migration happened in the Caribbean was the WINDRUSH. The WINDRUSH was a large ship that migrated hundreds of Jamaicans from Jamaica to Britain for a better life “When we were demobbed in Jamaica after being assured that jobs would be awaiting us. There was nothing at all. We look to Britain