European rivalry in the Caribbean in the eighteenth century

Relative positions of the European powers in the Caribbean

On the eighteenth century Spain,France,British,Denmark and Holland had

possession of many island in the Caribbean
In 1700 The British colonies were more valuable that the French because of
more land and higher population rate ,but actually the French were more
valuable for the amount of land and the rich soil

Naval power

British had an advantage over the French because of the possession of 2

naval bases in the Caribbean

Economic aims of the powers

West indies had no say in policies which involved them in war

Britain and France both wanted to enlarge their empires so it became worth
fighting

The effect of the eighteenth-century wars on the West Indies

There were fire major wars in the eighteenth century & occupied 34years of
fighting

The war of Spanish succession 1702 to 1713

It was a European war arising from the French to claim the vacant throne of
Spain.

The war of Jenkins ear 1739

This was a purely Caribbean war.

Spanish coastguards took all goods from the British ships
The rulers of Spain and France were family members and bourbons

The war of Australian succession 1740 to 1748

The fighting was on small scale and was carried out mainly by
privateers
The British dominated the sea at an extend that goods could not
reach the French islands and prices rose

The most effect was on the sugar market.

French exports were cut completely and the British took advantage
by higher the price on sugar.

The seven years war, 1756 to 1763

The biggest colonial war in history. A very important war in the west Indian
history
William Pitt, the British leader, saw the colonial conflicts as the key to
building a vast British empire
Spain joined France against England, and for the rest of the war Britain
concentrated on seizing French and Spanish territories in other parts of
the world.

The war of American independence 1775 to 1783

This involved the West Indies because their revolt and turned a civil war
into a colonial struggle between Britain and France.
The economic effects of the war were grave. Cutting the trade with the
North American colonies had deprived the West Indies of timber, salt-fish,
meat, grain and rice. The slaves suffered starvation and death.
The War of American Independence taught the British many lessons which
were however largely unheeded.
-Firstly, it showed their vulnerability once the British navy lost command
of the sea.
-Another valuable lesson was the danger of not being self-sufficient in food
in times of war.
-Finally, they should have detected a change in attitude on the part of the
British government who felt too many favors had been shown to the sugar
interest.

The United States and the Caribbean in eighteenth century

The position in 1783
1.

From 1775 to 1783 the British North American colonies had been fighting for
their independence.

2. By 1783 they had accomplished that and a new country was stablished
the United States of America.
Becoming a Caribbean power

3. The united states entered the Caribbean trade by obtaining a long coastline
on the gulf of Mexico
4. They achieved this in three stages
1. -Pinckneys treat: the United States had the first outlet into the gulf of
Mexico and the Caribbean by agreeing to a treaty with Spain.

2. -The Louisiana Purchase: buying Louisiana from France that stablished

the United States on the west bank of the Mississippi and got a new
coastline on the gulf of Mexico.
3. -The acquisition of Florida: Spain was forced to give Florida in 1819
agreeing to take in the payment of compensation which Spain owed
American merchants.

Manifest destiny

It was an idea that Jefferson spoke on about expanding not only within the
north America continent but also other parts of the Americas
It was the idea that is was natural and inevitable that the united states would
dominate thr Americans inn wealth power and territory