The Dominican Republic is a relatively small country located in the Caribbean Sea. It is unclear exactly how long people have been living in the Dominican Republic, but when European settlers arrived, the Taino people were living there. There is no written history prior to the arrival of European settlers, but it is believed that people have been living on the island for thousands of years. Regardless, when European settlers arrived, the island was immediately conquered, and the native population was oppressed significantly.
Officially, the history of the Dominican Republic begins in 1492. At that time, Christopher Columbus arrived on a large island in the western Atlantic Ocean, and he named the area the Caribbean. The name continues to last even until this day. Therefore, the official history of the Dominican Republic dates back about 500 years, but it is obvious that the history of the area goes back much further than that.
When Christopher Columbus arrived in the area, he immediately claimed it in the name of the Spanish Crown. He would name the entire Island Hispaniola. Today, the Dominican Republic shares the island with Haiti, a country that is still very poor. Eventually, the native population of Hispaniola was wiped out by the European settlers. Some of the factors that play a role include famine, abuse, suicide, and an impressive feudal system. Eventually, laws were passed to protect the native population, but they were never truly enforced.
For a long time, the Spanish controlled the area, but their influence would quickly disappear. They could not maintain their empire, and the entire island eventually fell under the control of the French. In 1844, the Dominican Republic declared its independence, and it would maintain its independence for the vast majority of the next few decades. For a short time, the Spanish regained control of the area. Then, the United States occupied the island for approximately eight years. Aside from these instances, the Dominican Republic remains a free country.
Unfortunately, the Republic of the Dominican Republic was very unstable at first. Between 1844 and 1914, the area had a total of 53 presidents. Only three of them would finish out their term, as violence was the main way of negotiating on the island. A dictator also ruled the country for 31 years, but he was assassinated in 1961. In 1965, the United States had to intervene in a bloody Civil War to stabilize the government. Eventually, the United States forced the dictator to leave office in 1996.
Since that time, the Dominican Republic has been considered a free country. It is also a very beautiful place to visit to this day. It is known for its warm water, friendly people, and its delicious food. The Dominican Republic is one of the leading countries in Caribbean affairs.
The country of Dominican Republic is 203 years old, founded in the year 1821.