Caribbean History By elenaburnham Period: 1200 to 1500 Taino Chiefdoms appear in Caribbean after first sedentary settlements 1492 Colombus arrives in the Bahamas 1514 Santiago, Cuba founded 1550 Encomienda System Abolished 1612 British Colonize Bermuda 1655 English Conquer Jamaica 1655 English take Jamaica from Spain 1697 Treaty of Ryswick gave French rights to Hispaniola (Haiti); ends Nine Years' War 1714 Spanish take direct Control of Cuba 1791 Slave Rebellion Against French in Haiti Establishing Haiti as the oldest free black republic 1825 Haiti Recognized by France as Independent 1844 Dominican Republic Declares Independence from Haiti 1863 Dutch Empire Abolishes Slavery 1873 Puerto Rican Slaves Freed and Compensated by the Spanish 1874 Dictator Saget first Haitian President to serve term and retire in Haiti