Eastern West Indies (1672–1683 CE): Sugar Economies, Consolidation, and Demographic Transformation

Expansion of the Sugar Economy

Between 1672 and 1683, the Eastern West Indies solidified their position as a crucial component of Europe's burgeoning sugar-based economy. Sugar, increasingly popular in Europe, became a prime commodity due to its favorable balance between bulk and value—an essential consideration given the era's limitations in shipping technology and the high costs of transoceanic transport. This transformation dramatically reshaped landholding patterns and economic dynamics across the region.

Concentration of Wealth and Land

The shift toward sugar cultivation significantly altered local socio-economic structures. For instance, in Barbados, a representative case, the sugar revolutions profoundly changed ownership patterns. In 1640, Barbados had approximately ten thousand settlers, predominantly small white landholders. By 1680, a small elite of one hundred seventy-five planters controlled about fifty-four percent of the island’s land, servants, and enslaved Africans. The island's demographics had drastically changed, now comprising around thirty-eight thousand enslaved Africans and more than two thousand landless English servants. Families such as the Rous family exemplified this shift: from modest beginnings in the 1640s, by 1680, they had acquired extensive sugar plantations, hundreds of enslaved laborers, and considerable economic power.

Growth of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

This era saw an exponential increase in the importation of enslaved Africans to sustain the labor-intensive sugar economy. The Dutch West India Company remained critical in supplying enslaved Africans, further embedding the tragic and exploitative triangular trade system that connected Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. Conditions for enslaved individuals were harsh and oppressive, characterized by grueling labor, rampant disease, and high mortality rates.

Rivalries and Military Fortifications

The increasing wealth generated by the sugar industry attracted persistent threats from rival European powers and pirates. To safeguard their interests, European colonial governments intensified efforts to fortify strategic locations. Santo Domingo and San Juan, Puerto Rico maintained and expanded their network of fortifications, crucial in defending the Spanish colonies from naval threats and piracy.

Decline of Indigenous Populations

By the end of this era, the indigenous Taíno populations had nearly vanished due to a combination of European diseases, harsh labor conditions, social disruption, and the encomienda system. Despite sporadic legislative attempts to protect indigenous peoples, such as the Laws of Burgos from 1512–1513, effective enforcement was virtually nonexistent, leading to near-total demographic collapse and cultural erasure.

Cultural and Ecclesiastical Consolidation

The Roman Catholic Church remained central to the cultural and social organization of the colonies. Ecclesiastical influence was manifested in the continuation and completion of significant religious edifices, notably the cathedrals in Santo Domingo and San Juan, constructed in the distinct Plateresque style.

Conclusion

The period from 1672 to 1683 marked a culmination of the transformations initiated by the sugar revolutions. Economic prosperity driven by sugar cultivation significantly benefited a small colonial elite while intensifying the inhuman conditions faced by the enslaved African population. Simultaneously, European colonial competition and military fortifications continued to shape the geopolitical landscape of the Eastern West Indies, setting enduring patterns of social inequality and economic dependency.