The book opens with a look at the Taíno society before European arrival. Cruz Sánchez highlights their agricultural systems, social hierarchy, and cultural practices. He then transitions into the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, analyzing the immediate impact of Spanish colonization, the encomienda system, and the devastating demographic collapse of the indigenous population. 2. The Sugar Boom and the Rise of Slavery
: Looking for structured, evidence-based analysis of primary sources. The book opens with a look at the