Arawaks were the original inhabitants of Curaçao.…
1634 CE
Arawaks were the original inhabitants of Curaçao.
The first Europeans to see the island were members of a Spanish expedition under the leadership of Alonso de Ojeda in 1490, when groups had been sent out to extensively map the borders of South America and the surrounding islands.
There is evidence that Vikings had explored the area as early as the ninth century.
The Spaniards had soon exported most of the indigenous population to other colonies where workers were needed.
Spanish interest had quickly waned, however, as they discovered that there was no gold on the island and farming was difficult because of a lack of fresh water.
The government-backed Dutch West India Company has by 1634 claimed Curaçao for its own and has begun to settle the island in earnest.
Plantations are erected, and farmers begin growing corn and peanuts in addition to native fruits.
The saltwater ponds that prevent irrigation will soon prove themselves invaluable, as the economy of the island shifts to salt mining and international export, but saline ponds are not the only advantageous geographical features to be found here: the deep water and natural barriers surrounding the island’s ports will make them popular with Caribbean traders.
The capital city of Willemstad, founded on the banks of an inlet called the 'Schottegat', will become particularly well-known, as it plays host to merchant ships under every flag imaginable.
Commerce and shipping—and piracy—will soon become Curaçao's most important economic activities.
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Commodities
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West Indies
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