Table of Contents
When did the Tainos come to the Caribbean?
The Taínos were present throughout the Caribbean islands from approximately 1200 to 1500 A.D., and when Christopher Columbus arrived in the region, the Taínos were the indigenous group he encountered.
Where did the Tainos settle before moving to the Caribbean?
Their world, which had its origins among the Arawak tribes of the Orinoco Delta, gradually spread from Venezuela across the Antilles in waves of voyaging and settlement begun around 400 B.C. Mingling with people already established in the Caribbean, they developed self-sufficient communities on the island of Hispaniola …
Why did the Tainos settle near the coast?
The Tainos, also known as Arawaks where originally from South America, before they came and settled in Jamaica. Jamaica became the perfect spot for them to settle due to the consistent climate, as well as the abundance of food from the ocean, and the crops that they were able to produce.
When did the Tainos came to Jamaica?
Jamaica’s first inhabitants, the Tainos (also called the Arawaks), were a peaceful people believed to be from South America. It was the Tainos who met Christopher Columbus when he arrived on Jamaica’s shores in 1494.
What became of the Taíno people of the Caribbean?
For instance, a smallpox epidemic in Hispaniola in 1518–1519 killed almost 90\% of the surviving Taíno. The remaining Taíno intermarried with Europeans and Africans, and became incorporated into the Spanish colonies. The Taíno were considered extinct as a people at the end of the century.
What happened to the Tainos in Jamaica?
The original inhabitants of Jamaica are believed to be the Arawaks, also called Tainos. The Arawaks led quiet and peaceful lives until they were destroyed by the Spaniards some years after Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1494.
Why was the Coast important to the Tainos?
James Petersen (1991) explains that initial Taino settlements were primarily along the coastal areas, allowing them to focus more on the sea rather than land. As time progressed, they gradually moved inward to settle other areas of the landscape (129-130).
What did the Tainos contribute to Jamaica?
What has the Tainos contributed to Jamaica? Many of the delectable fruits and vegetables that we enjoy today was also once enjoyed by the Taino people. They practiced subsistence living, hence they had no food in surplus. As such, farming and cultivating crops was a part of the Tainos daily life.
What did the Tainos bring to Jamaica?
In Jamaica, the Tainos established an estimated 200 villages by the time Christopher Columbus set foot on the island in 1494 and numbered around 60,000 people. They thrived for thousands of years by cultivating corn, gathering local fruits, and catching fish and turtles for food.
Why did Christopher Columbus came to the Caribbean?
For months, Columbus sailed from island to island in what we now know as the Caribbean, looking for the “pearls, precious stones, gold, silver, spices, and other objects and merchandise whatsoever” that he had promised to his Spanish patrons, but he did not find much.