https://nationalhumanitiescent....er.org/pds/amerbegin
Bartolomé de las Casas
A S HORT A CCOUNT
OF THE DESTRUCTION
OF THE I NDIES
written 1542, published 1552 * [EXCERPTS]
_________________________________________

https://mochajuden.com/?p=4765
After Columbus’ expedition in 1492, the West Indies became a place of salvation for Sephardic Jews fleeing the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions. La Nación, as these Jews were called, were fundamental in shaping the early Caribbean economy through their unique knowledge of sugar cane, agriculture, and an expansive network of trade. Jews also joined the pirates controlling the Caribbean seas, and later became influential politicians, substantial landowners, and bankers to the American colonies. While creating financial success for the European powers, the Sephardic Jews managed to keep their culture, religion, and customs alive – which lead to the continuation and support of Judaism throughout the Americas.

Through thought-provoking photographs of the remaining synagogues, cemeteries, and historic homes and artifacts in Jamaica, Barbados, Curaçao, Nevis, St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Eustatius, and Suriname – the world can witness the legacy of Judaism in the new world and a rarely explored facet of Caribbean history. These endangered remaining monuments, dating back to 1654, are the oldest synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in the Western hemisphere and beautifully exemplify the strength of the Jewish people as well as the surprisingly diverse culture of the Caribbean.

Once home to thousands of Sephardic Jews, these historic communities now face extinction. Only 5 synagogues remain and almost half of the original cemeteries are either falling apart, or have been lost to natural disasters and pollution from nearby oil refineries. The few historic landmarks still in use are little known gems of the Caribbean and invaluable landmarks in the Jewish history of survival. Harry Ezratty, author of 500 Years In The Jewish Caribbean writes: “Having revisited many of these historic sites, it is certain that these unique monuments of the Jewish people are in peril.”~From Jews of the Caribbean ~Wyatt Gallery

https://www.jewishtreasuresoft....hecaribbean.com/hist
PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Jewish Treasures of The Caribbean photographically captures the little-known history of the Sephardic Jews of the Caribbean, as seen through the remaining historic sites in Barbados, Curaçao, Jamaica, Nevis, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. Eustatius, and Suriname. These Jewish communities date back to the early 1600’s and are home to the oldest synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in the Western hemisphere. These modern day treasures beautifully exemplify the strength of the Jewish people as well as the surprisingly diverse cultural history of the Caribbean.

Now facing extinction, the Sephardic Jewish communities of the Caribbean were once so strong and influential that they helped fuel the success of the American Revolution, and finance the first synagogues in the United States, located in New York City and Rhode Island.

HISTORY

In the 1600s and 1700s, the West Indies became a place of salvation for Sephardic Jews who had fled to Amsterdam and Brazil after the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions. La Nación, as these Jews were called, were fundamental in shaping the early Caribbean economy through their unique knowledge of sugar cane cultivation, agriculture, and an expansive network of trade. Some Jews also joined the pirates controlling the Caribbean seas, and later became influential politicians, plantation landowners, and bankers to the American colonies. While creating financial success for the European powers, the Sephardic Jews managed to prosper and keep their culture, religion, and customs alive - which lead to the continuation and support of Judaism throughout the Americas.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

Once home to thousands of Sephardic Jews, these historic communities are now facing extinction. Only 5 synagogues remain and almost half of the original cemeteries are either falling apart, or have been lost to natural disasters, vandalism, pollution, and the elements of time. The few historic landmarks still in use are little known gems of the Caribbean and invaluable landmarks in the Jewish history of survival. Harry Ezratty, author of 500 Years In The Jewish Caribbean writes: “Having revisited many of these historic sites, it is certain that these unique monuments of the Jewish people are in peril.”

https://www.jewishideas.org/ar....ticle/%E2%80%9C-seph

https://markuswiener.com/books..../once-jews-stories-o

History Archives
On this date in history, November 17, 1869, one of the greatest engineering marvels of the modern world was unveiled with an extravagant celebration.

After ten long years of difficult construction, the Suez Canal officially opened for navigation, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.

The project, championed by French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, involved an immense amount of labor, transitioning from manual digging to advanced mechanical dredgers.

A massive international ceremony took place at Port Said, Egypt. The port was lavishly decorated, drawing journalists and royalty from across the globe. 🚢

The French Imperial Yacht L'Aigle, with Empress Eugénie aboard, led the very first procession of ships through the new waterway.

This 120-mile canal fundamentally changed the world. It created a direct shipping route between Europe and Asia, cutting the journey by thousands of miles and weeks of travel time.

The canal's commercial value was proven almost immediately. In its first full year of operation, over 400 ships made the transit, signifying its instant success. 🌍

While it was a French and Egyptian endeavor, the British government purchased a large stake in the Suez Canal Company from a debt-ridden Egypt in 1875, securing its own strategic interests in the region.

To this day, the Suez Canal remains a vital artery for global trade, a lasting legacy of 19th-century ambition and engineering.

Silver Men: West Indian Labourers at the Panama Canal
https://unesco.org.uk/our-site....s/memory-of-the-worl
West Indian Labourers at the Panama Canal: The documentary heritage concerning West Indians and their experience in and contribution to the Panama Canal represents one of the most significant movements of voluntary migration to emerge during the post emancipation period after 1838.

These records document the movement of over 100,000 people to the Isthmus of Panama, the majority of whom never returned. This inscription is the common heritage of Netherlands, Brazil, Ghana, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Suriname, the UK and the USA

https://www.slavevoyages.org/

https://archive.org/search?query=Caribbean+History

https://www.nationalgeographic.....com/history/article
"Spanning a million square miles and dotted with more than 700 islands, the Caribbean Sea was one of the last places colonized by Native Americans as they explored and settled North and South America. Archaeologists have long struggled to pinpoint the origins and movements of those intrepid seafarers. Now, thanks to genetic material gleaned from the bones of ancient Caribbean residents, the invisible history of this tropical archipelago is coming to light.

Among the surprising findings is that most of the Caribbean’s original inhabitants may have been wiped out by South American newcomers a thousand years before the Spanish invasion that began in 1492. Moreover, indigenous populations of islands like Puerto Rico and Hispaniola were likely far smaller at the time of the Spanish arrival than previously thought.

Extracting DNA from bones in warm, wet places like the Caribbean was impossible until a few years ago. But thanks to recent advances in genetic technology, a Harvard University lab run by geneticist David Reich was able to recover DNA from 174 individuals excavated at sites from Venezuela to the Bahamas."