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During the years of Colonialism, especially in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the great European empires of Great Britain, France, and Portugal embarked on grandiose journeys, in search of the New World, and smaller nations to control through their imperialism.
A portion of the world that is at time overlooked and not appropriated recognition for its hardships during this time is the Caribbean. The indigenous peoples of this archipelago of islands known as the Lesser and Greater Antilles, the Island Arawaks, Island Caribs, Lucayos Eastern, Western and Classic Tainos, have been forgotten. Many history books discuss the great Inca and Aztec empires of South America, as well as the Cherokees and Sioux of North America. However, the slaveries and massacres that occurred during this time of exploration and conquer which took place in the Caribbean deserve adequate publicity. The native Tainos have a history and a story that should be worldly known as well.

Upon arriving in the Caribbean isles in 1492, Christopher Columbus was really on a voyage to get to India. This is why we now call the indigenous peoples "Indians." Columbus, the famous Admiral, traveled the islands including Hispaola, Borinquen (now Puerto Rico), and the Bahama Islands. He named islands after people, saints, kings, and even myths. It is said that upon reaching the island now called Vieques, meaning crab in the native Arawakan language, Columbus had another name in mind. He called this island Gratiosa, after the mother of his friend Alessandro Geraldini. Geraldini was one of his supporters in creating his empire. Before launching his ships, Columbus promised to "bestow on some noble island" the mother's name "for her high birth, holiness, and old-fashioned manners." Columbus also named the island of Borinquen, located ten miles west of Gratiosa, after Saint John the Baptist: it became the island of San Juan Bautista. The famous city of San Juan was called San Juan de Puerto Rico, translating to Saint John of the Rich Harbor, in order to differentiate it from the island as a whole. (Morison, 145) Surprisingly, it has been stated that Columbus never met a single native of Puerto Rico by certain authors. (Morison, 148)
The experience of conquest was very important for Europeans fighting to control more lands than their adversaries. The conquistadors moved from island to island in the Caribbean, conquering and killing what was already there. They did it in the name of Chrstianity

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