raharris1973
Well-known member
Instead of Jamaica, as happened historically?
In OTL, Cromwell, during this war with the Spanish which occurred circa 1655, tried at least to attack Santo Domingo and hoped to seize the island of Hispaniola, and possibly Cuba. The English forces failed to hold either of those objectives, but did end up conquering Jamaica, and holding it until the 20th century.
What if the English succeeded in conquering Santo Domingo, or Cuba, or Puerto Rico instead, and Jamaica remained Spanish?
What knock-on effects would this have for the colonial era?
I would note that in English colonial history, 1655 is after all the New England colonies, Virginia and Maryland were set up, but before Carolina and Pennsylvania were set up, and before the English takeover of New Netherlands.
I think an English conquest of Cuba would be particularly interesting at this early date. Would Spanish Florida remain tenable in subsequent decades, once the English were established in control of Cuba, or would Florida tend to fall to English control? Would the English still bother with Carolina, or neglect that region awhile, while taking advantage of plantation agricultural opportunities on Cuba? Were independent Maya still holding out in the Yucatan as of the 1650s? Would they be interested in English help fighting the Spanish?
In OTL, Cromwell, during this war with the Spanish which occurred circa 1655, tried at least to attack Santo Domingo and hoped to seize the island of Hispaniola, and possibly Cuba. The English forces failed to hold either of those objectives, but did end up conquering Jamaica, and holding it until the 20th century.
What if the English succeeded in conquering Santo Domingo, or Cuba, or Puerto Rico instead, and Jamaica remained Spanish?
What knock-on effects would this have for the colonial era?
I would note that in English colonial history, 1655 is after all the New England colonies, Virginia and Maryland were set up, but before Carolina and Pennsylvania were set up, and before the English takeover of New Netherlands.
I think an English conquest of Cuba would be particularly interesting at this early date. Would Spanish Florida remain tenable in subsequent decades, once the English were established in control of Cuba, or would Florida tend to fall to English control? Would the English still bother with Carolina, or neglect that region awhile, while taking advantage of plantation agricultural opportunities on Cuba? Were independent Maya still holding out in the Yucatan as of the 1650s? Would they be interested in English help fighting the Spanish?