Cuban Prison Colony Challenge

Your task is simple. Turn Cuba into an prison colony for America, or any European nations with any POD you like. Doe sit become the Australia of the Americas? Or just something else entirely?
 

HueyLong

Banned
Your task is simple. Turn Cuba into an prison colony for America, or any European nations with any POD you like. Doe sit become the Australia of the Americas? Or just something else entirely?

I believe there is a TL (either Empty America or that one Venetian.... brothers TL) where Cuba and other Caribbean islands become a dumping ground for moriscos and Jews. Its a start, at the least.
 
Well, you would probably have to delay the discovery of Cuba until Mexico is found. If Cuba is their first island, I don't think the Spanish are going to say: "Oh, look, a new, untamed, and rich island, all for the Spanish crown! I think I'll build a prison here." :D

With a later POD it is definitely possible though.
 
Well, you would probably have to delay the discovery of Cuba until Mexico is found. If Cuba is their first island, I don't think the Spanish are going to say: "Oh, look, a new, untamed, and rich island, all for the Spanish crown! I think I'll build a prison here." :D

In some respects, that is what Britain said about Australia. Still, it is a fair comment. The question boils down to what you want to do with prisoners whom you have sentenced to hard labour. The British first sent them to America and when that went into revolt, Australia. The Spanish were using galleys into the late eighteenth century (they appear in a Hornblower story) and thus had less need to export their rubbish.
 
In some respects, that is what Britain said about Australia. Still, it is a fair comment. The question boils down to what you want to do with prisoners whom you have sentenced to hard labour. The British first sent them to America and when that went into revolt, Australia. The Spanish were using galleys into the late eighteenth century (they appear in a Hornblower story) and thus had less need to export their rubbish.

But Australia was not the first new land Britain had discovered. Unless Columbus sailed with the intent of founding a penal colony, I don't think that his first discover would become one.
 
Your task is simple. Turn Cuba into an prison colony for America, or any European nations with any POD you like. Doe sit become the Australia of the Americas? Or just something else entirely?

One problem with this is for a while several of the Carribean islands were viewed by Europe as the most valuable real estate in the New World. This meant that some islands (Guadelupe and Martinique, for instance) were worth substantial commitments or concessions to take or regain and others (Jamaica comes to mind) benefited from this as well. So you have to remove this perception to make Cuba and the other islands likely sites for prison colonies. It is doable without this step, but a lot harder.
 
But Australia was not the first new land Britain had discovered. Unless Columbus sailed with the intent of founding a penal colony, I don't think that his first discover would become one.
I don't see the connection. The prison colony comes after the discovery of the New World. It is only then that some bright young lad at court gets the idea of shipping convicts out there. After all, it is a mere extension of abjuration in which in return for confessing your crimes you agree to quit the realm forever. The two differences are that the realm plays for your transportation and it is a damned sight harder for you to get back.
 
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