Back in 1492 when Christopher sailed the seas, there was a thriving culture of over 1 million people living in the present day Bahamas. These people were, at one point, the largest group of Caribbean inhabitants. After Columbus settled this "new" land, which was inhabited for hundreds of years at that point, and a brief coexistence, horrific conditions befell the natives. By 1520, only a few thousand Taíno people were alive. Slavery, disease and violence tool its toll. By 1550, the people were nearly extinct. The culture of these people was almost completely wiped out with none left to celebrate its history, and to this day, very few people have known ancestry which dates back to these people, though new DNA capabilities have found matches in recent years!
The Taíno people are not well known about by the majority of people, but there are some links which I came across which helps break into this topic so we can celebrate the people that Christopher Columbus met in the late 1490s. This helps us be able to appropriately celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day.
Taíno People Facts for Kids:
What Became of the Taíno , via the Smithsonian:
The Taíno people, via Study:
Here is a link to the Taíno Museum:
Here is a free Google Slides from a teacher on Teachers Pay Teachers about these people:
Another free item available on TPT is this worksheet Assessment for kiddos that may be a bit older:
Here is a coloring page:
I hope I helped you learn something new today! If you did, or complete any activities shared, make sure you use the hashtag #LearningFunWithLaura so I can be sure to check it out! Happy Indigenous Peoples Day! #IndigenousPeoplesDay
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