Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Caribbean History Practice Exam

The impact of colonization on indigenous populations of the Caribbean is most accurately represented by the drastic decline in their populations. Upon European arrival, indigenous communities were faced with a host of challenges that led to significant mortality rates. The introduction of diseases such as smallpox, to which the indigenous peoples had no immunity, contributed to widespread death and devastation.

Additionally, colonization often brought violence, forced labor, and dislocation, further diminishing the size of these populations. The exploitation of resources and the establishment of plantations not only affected their lands but also disrupted their social structures and ways of life. Consequently, the demographic shifts resulted in a profound loss of culture, language, and population among the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean.

While colonization might have impacted agriculture, territorial claims, or social dynamics in other contexts, the overwhelming evidence underlines the devastating effect on the indigenous population as one of the most consequential results of colonization in the Caribbean.