Curacao History

The original inhabitants of Curacao were Arawak Amerindians. The first Europeans to see the island were members of a Spanish expedition in 1499. The Spaniards enslaved most of the indigenous population. The island was occupied by the Dutch starting in 1634. The Dutch West India
Company founded the capital of Willemstad on the banks of an inlet called the ‘Schottegat’. The natural harbor of Willemstad proved quickly to be an ideal spot for trade. Commerce and shipping became Curacao’s most important activities. The Dutch West India Company made Curacao a center for slave trade in 1662.

The slave trade made the island affluent, and led to the construction of impressive colonial buildings that still stand today. The wide range of other historic buildings in and around Willemstad earned the capital a place on UNESCO’s world heritage list.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the island changed hands among the British, the French, and the Dutch several times. Stable Dutch rule returned in 1815. The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863 and the end of slavery caused economic hardship, prompting many inhabitants of Curacao to emigrate to other islands.

When oil was discovered in 1914, the fortunes of the island were dramatically altered. Curacao was an ideal site for the refinery as it was away from the social and civil unrest of the South American mainland, but near enough to the Maracaibo Basin oil fields. It also had an excellent natural harbor that could accommodate large oil tankers. The discontent and the antagonisms between Curacao social groups culminated in large scale rioting and protest on May 30, 1969. The civil unrest fueled a social movement that resulted in the local Afro-Caribbean population attaining more influence over the political process. Due to an economic slump in recent years, emigration to the Netherlands has been high.

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