La Guadeloupe la Pointe à Pitre, chef- lieu de la Grande- Terren partie ……/ La Gouadeloupe. La Basse Terre

Title

La Guadeloupe la Pointe à Pitre, chef- lieu de la Grande- Terren partie ……/ La Gouadeloupe. La Basse Terre

Description

2 views of Guadeloupe

ca. 1880

Artist

Tharon

Historical Description

Columbus was the first European to reach the island on the outward journey of his second voyage on November 4, 1493. He named it Guadalupe after the Spanish pilgrimage site Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, as he had promised the monks there that he would name an island. The Caribs initially defended themselves successfully against the Spaniards. It was not until 1635 that the French succeeded in colonizing Guadeloupe. In 1664 the island was transferred to the French West India Company. After its dissolution in 1674, the French crown took over the administration of the colony. The French colonial rulers established a plantation economy. They mainly grew sugar cane and coffee. The new masters had people brought from Africa as workers, who were deported to the New World in the context of the transatlantic slave trade with slave ships. In the course of the French Revolution of 1789, slavery was abolished in the French colonies and thus also in Guadeloupe in February 1794. Great Britain took advantage of the new political situation and occupied the islands in April 1794. It was supported by the plantation owners who wanted to prevent the implementation of the declared abolition of slavery. The British occupation, however, was soon driven out by French troops led by the National Commissioner for Guadeloupe, Victor Hugues. This also relied on the support of the freed slaves. Hugues ruled the islands as commissioner from 1794 to 1798. In 1946 Guadeloupe became the overseas department (Département d'Outre Mer / DOM) of France. It has not been a colony since then; it is regarded in all areas as an integral part of the mother country and its inhabitants are state side as French.