[1500s] [1600s to 1900s] [the
Revolution] [Elián] [Today]
Beginning
of time to 1500s
In
the beginning, there were the Tainos, or at least in the beginning
as we know it, which is a beginning we do not know all that much
about today. Popular research says the Tainos were
not prone to writing things down, but they did many other things
like make pottery, fish, grow tobacco, and the chiefs got married
a lot. If you think it isn't that great to grow old now, think about
the Taino chiefs. When they reached their golden years, they were
ceremoniously torched and burned to death, being replaced by a newer,
younger model of a chief. To cheer the old chiefs up on their departure
from this world as they knew it, they were allowed to choose one
or two of their favorite wives to be torched with them. In today's
world this would not be considered good news to any self-respecting
woman. We do not know what the Taino gals thought about it, but we
can guess. This is called an educated guess. In the study of ancient
languages it is believed that the expression, "I'm all burned out,"
can be traced back to this time period. (just kidding.)
Enter
Columbus or Cristobal Colon or whatever wherever you're from calls
him
The
1500s On Voyage Number Two to "The New World" (as if it hadn't been
there all along...), still questing for gold, power, and real estate,
Columbus landed on the island of Cuba which, of course, wasn't called
Cuba then. We don't know what it was called but probably something
like "home" to all the Tainos who learned fairly quickly not to
be too thrilled by the arrival of Columbus. The Italian and company
enslaved the Tainos, forcing them to search for gold, which they
didn't find, not because they were not good gold searchers, but
because there wasn't any. Then to try to appease a rather cranky
Isabella, Queen of Spain, who had financed these trips for Columbus,
he rounded up about 500 Tainos and shipped them back to Spain as
a present for the queen.
[next:
The Spanish Rule 1500s - almost 1900]
