British Cuba and Puerto Rico - what are the effects?

OK, so let's say that somehow, in 1763, Britain retains Cuba instead of trading it for Florida. Somewhere along the line - anytime post-1750s - Britain somehow also manages to obtain Puerto Rico.

What would the effects of this be on North American society at that time? Would the UK try to unite Cuba and Puerto Rico into one dominion or keep them as separate colonies? If united, would other British colonies (i.e. Jamaica) be added into the union?

Just wondering.
 
Well, how would it affect the American Revolution? Because in the 1783 Treaty of Versailles, OTL, Florida gets returned to Spain. Would the same thing happen to Cuba after a British defeat in the Revolution? Or perhaps the Revolution fails somehow. While I'm sure there will be some effects, it's not clear to me what exactly they would be.
 
If the British do retain Cuba and/or Puerto Rico after 1783, would enough Loyalists to make major cultural changes migrate there?
 
Get whats left of my head around this...

- Britain holds onto Cuba, meaning Spain cedes Cuba

- Spain holds onto Florida, and thus during the ARW Florida as well as Louisiana is Spanish.

Does this latter point affect anything strategically in the war? Does the lack of Florida deprive Britain of a base or fall-back position that was important? Does Spain having it add a front or a threat that means that more loyalist forces have to be diverted from other tasks? Is Britain thus weakened in any way, perhaps to see a greater threat to the South during the war, or to collapse earlier?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
When Spain attacked in 1780, most of the troops that headed east from N.O. where drawn from Cuba.
If GB holds Cuba, any troops the Governor of Louisiana, want to use would have to come from Mexico in the face of a larger British naval presence. [Cuban Naval Station]
 
When Spain attacked in 1780, most of the troops that headed east from N.O. where drawn from Cuba.
If GB holds Cuba, any troops the Governor of Louisiana, want to use would have to come from Mexico in the face of a larger British naval presence. [Cuban Naval Station]

Does possession of Florida alter that equation or just exacerbate things for Spain?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
An interesting Puerto Rican tidbit courtesy of Wiki

In 1779, citizens of the still-Spanish colony of Puerto Rico fought in the American Revolutionary War under the command of Bernardo de Gálvez, named Field Marshal of the Spanish colonial army in North America. Puerto Ricans participated in the capture of Pensacola, the capital of the British colony of West Florida and the cities of Baton Rouge, St. Louis and Mobile. The Puerto Rican troops, under the leadership of Brigadier General Ramón de Castro,helped defeat the British and Indian army of 2,500 soldiers and British warships in Pensacola.

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
When Spain attacked in 1780, most of the troops that headed east from N.O. where drawn from Cuba.
If GB holds Cuba, any troops the Governor of Louisiana, want to use would have to come from Mexico in the face of a larger British naval presence. [Cuban Naval Station]
Does possession of Florida alter that equation or just exacerbate things for Spain?
IIRC In 1763 Fort Pensacola had 300 Spanish Soldiers, and it was one of the larger Forts.

IMO if Spanish Florida continues till the 1780 time frame, whe will not have Spain offically joining the ARW.
 
If there was still an ARW would Cuba try for independence? During the Seven Years War Britian imported allot of slaves, which would make Cuba a slave state if it was in on the ARW. The interesting thing here is what would Cuba (slave state) do if Haiti also has their revolution as per OTL? Would Cuba (USA) call for invading Haiti?
 
In the 1760~1800 time frame Cuba was 50~50 Black White, with the Blacks being divided 50~50 Slave/Free. IE Slaves were only 25% of the population.
Slavery in Cuba was very different than Southern Slavery. Governed by Catholic Law regarding Slavery.
Slave Marriages were binding, and could not be sold ecept as a Couple. Free/Slave Marriages were common with the Slave living in the Free partners home.
Craft Slaves were given several days a week to work for them selfs.
Some Slaves ran Shops, and Markets.

When Britian took over they started buying local to resupply their ships. Local economic activity more than doubled during the Year GB was in Charge.

One of the first laws the Spanish Governor started enforcing in 1764 after returning, was that all goods must travel to Spain [Tax Stamp] [ on Spanish Ships] before being sold.
He also closed all the new shops opened during the British Occupation.
Economic activity fell below pre British levels.


Given the great rise in The Standard of Living that would occur during the 60's~70's -- I doubt if Cuba would join the ARW, except as a staging Port for British Forces.
 
So, if Cuba is British I would assume that the Spanish system of slavery would slowly be replaced by Britain's System. More British citizens and American colonists would move to Cuba. There could possibly be an uprising of the slaves in ten to twenty years as families are broken up. Yet, Unlike in Haiti (OTL) the rebellion would probably be put down rather quickly. The remaining Spanish slave holders have no real reason to support the Spanish/Catholic system, otherwise they may lose their lands to British colonists.
 
The American Revolution might not go very well at all.

First of all those two colonies were very wealthy so the british might not need to tax the americans at all. The sugar produced in both colonies was huge.

Second if the British were willing to allow slaves to fight Americans for freedom, then the British might allow many of the Cuban slaves to fight the Americans. That would be quite the man power boost.
 
The American Revolution might not go very well at all.

First of all those two colonies were very wealthy so the british might not need to tax the americans at all. The sugar produced in both colonies was huge.

Second if the British were willing to allow slaves to fight Americans for freedom, then the British might allow many of the Cuban slaves to fight the Americans. That would be quite the man power boost.

I agree that the ARW may go in favor of the British in this scenario. With Cuba added you basically have two bases of operation from which to place the Thirteen Colonies in a tighter vice.

Yet, I don't see the British offering slaves their freedom at this time to fight on their side. Two decades later maybe, but not now. At this time slavery was regarded as to important to the wealth of the region.


An interesting fact I just came across.
According to Wikipedia (I know, I know...) prior to the ARW at least 10,000 people emigrated from Bermuda to the American South. In TTL I could see many of them going to Cuba also. This would reinforce the British system and culturalization on the island.
 
So, if Cuba is British I would assume that the Spanish system of slavery would slowly be replaced by Britain's System. More British citizens and American colonists would move to Cuba. There could possibly be an uprising of the slaves in ten to twenty years as families are broken up. Yet, Unlike in Haiti (OTL) the rebellion would probably be put down rather quickly. The remaining Spanish slave holders have no real reason to support the Spanish/Catholic system, otherwise they may lose their lands to British colonists.

Funny you should mention that - in the aftermath of the Haitian Revolution, many French landowners moved to Cuba and Puerto Rico with the purpose of not having another Haiti happen again.
 
An interesting fact I just came across.
According to Wikipedia (I know, I know...) prior to the ARW at least 10,000 people emigrated from Bermuda to the American South. In TTL I could see many of them going to Cuba also. This would reinforce the British system and culturalization on the island.

FROM Bermuda? I didn't know there were that many people ON Bermuda?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
FROM Bermuda? I didn't know there were that many people ON Bermuda?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

Overpopulation was apparently a problem almost from the start. The British government and the various Colonial Companies that ran it at one time or another made an effort to have people emigrate from the island so supplies and resources would not run out.
 
Overpopulation was apparently a problem almost from the start. The British government and the various Colonial Companies that ran it at one time or another made an effort to have people emigrate from the island so supplies and resources would not run out.

That is going to be my fact of the day :)

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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