Legacy of British colonialism in the Caribbean Essay

Legacy of British colonialism in the Caribbean - Essay Example Britain’s imperial possessions in the Caribbean were collectively called the British West Indies. These were comprised by Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The West Indies also included the sub-grouping called the Caribbean Anglophones composed of the now independent states such as Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Prior to the British and European occupation, the Caribbean is home to some ancient agricultural civilizations. The oldest settlement, which was considered to be those of archaic age, dates back to around 7000 years. At the time of the European colonization, settlers are comprised of three Amerindian ethnic groups, namely: the Tainos, Carib and the Ciboney. The importance of the Caribbean among its European rulers is mainly due to the sugar industry, which has prospe red in the islands. "Sugar was the foundation of the Golden Age of West Indian prosperity during the eighteenth century" (Tomich 14)