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Known for its beautiful beaches and unique culture, the Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean's crown jewels. However, it's had a history totally unlike its neighbors. Even Haiti, which shares an island with the Dominican Republic, went down a totally different path. Today, the Dominican Republic is a relatively stable, prosperous country, yet its past has been marked by violence, political turmoil and chaos. Learn more about the history of the Dominican Republic and how it became the country it is today on on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Quints. The holiday season is upon us and that means buying gifts for friends and family. So why not get something that's top tier but affordable? That's where Quince comes in. Quince has great items like $50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters that feel like an everyday luxury and wool coats that are equal part stylish and durable. 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That's why I recommend Mint Mobile. All their plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. You can use your current phone, current phone number and keep all of your current contacts. Nothing has to change except the amount you pay. At Mint Mobile their favorite word is no. No contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees and no bs. Ready to say yes to saying no? Make the switch@mintmobile.comeed that's mintmobile.comeed upfront payment of $45 required, equivalent to $15 a month limited time new customer offer for first three months only. Speeds may slow above 35 GB on unlimited plan taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. Any discussion of the Dominican Republic has to start with its geography. The Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean on the island of Hispaniola. Hispaniola is divided into two sovereign states, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The Dominican Republic covers two thirds of the island in the east and Haiti occupies the remaining third in the west. The Mona Passage, a 130 kilometer wide channel, is what separates the Dominican Republic from Puerto Rico. Hispaniola is part of the Greater Antilles, which includes Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. The Dominican Republic has a land area of approximately 48,670 square kilometers, or 18,000 square miles, making it the second largest nation in the Caribbean by area, following Cuba. The nation is also the second most popular country in the region behind Haiti, with a total population of roughly 11.4 million. While the Dominican Republic is often viewed as just a beach destination, its geography is more diverse than people realize. The Dominican Republic is actually home to four small mountain ranges, the Cordillera Septentrionel in the north, the Cordillera Central in the center of the country and and the Sierra Neva and the Sierra Baruco, both located in the south. The Cordillera Central is also known as the Dominican Alps. The range runs through the center of the island, connecting with the Haitian mountain range Mastiff du Nord Pico Duarte stands as the tallest peak in the Cordillera Central range, rising to 10,164ft or 3,098 meters, making it the highest point in the entire Caribbean. Between the north and central mountain ranges is the Cibao Valley. The valley contains most of the nation's farmland due to its rich and fertile soil. Lake Enriquillo, located in the southwestern part of the country, is a saltwater lake. Enriquillo is the largest lake in the Caribbean and actually holds the record for being the lowest point of any island country, reaching 46 meters or 151ft below sea level. Ten rivers on the island drain into Lake Enriquillo, with no rivers running out, making it an endocharic lake. Rainfall and evaporation determine the lake's water level, not the amount of water running out. The Dominican Republic is also comprised of approximately 50 smaller islands, some of which are relatively uninhabited, while others serve as popular tourist attractions. The climate of the Dominican Republic is predominantly tropical, with some regions transitioning to a savannah like landscape. Due to the country's mountainous topography, the average temperature exhibits a wide variation over very short distances due to its Location in the Caribbean, the country is at risk of hurricanes, most of which will hit the southern coast of the island. Fortunately for the island's residents, the likelihood of a direct hit is rather low, occurring roughly once every 30 years. This is because the country is blocked by Puerto Rico, providing a convenient buffer from the worst of the storm. The island's first inhabitants were from the Arawak tribes in modern Venezuela who migrated to and settled Hispaniola around 400 B.C. becoming the Taino people. The Taino fostered connections with other Caribbean peoples, forming their own communities and eventually settling across Hispaniola, Jamaica, eastern Cuba, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. When the Spanish arrived in the region in 1492, they began chronicling the Taino. They described their towns as well organized and dispersed but densely populated. In 1496, Bartholomew Columbus, Christopher Columbus brother founded the city of Santo Domingo. This became the first permanent European settlement in the New World. The city and the surrounding region soon developed into a plantation based economy. The Spanish colonists and the Tajino coexisted briefly before their relationship started to source. The colonists took Taino men from their villages and forced them to work on plantations or in mines. With so many removed from their homes, the Taino faced starvation. Unable to plant their own food, many Taino fought the Spanish, while others fled to more remote regions. Over time, many of the Spanish settlers married Taino women. Within just two decades of contact, 40% of Spanish men on the island had Taino wives. Their mixed race children became the basis of the creole population on the island, who remain the majority of the population. Slavery was introduced to the colony in the early 16th century with thousands of Africans being forcibly brought to the colony to work on plantations. European settlers brought deadly diseases like measles and smallpox, for which the Taino had no immunity. Within 30 years, these diseases had killed an estimated 70 to 90% of the Taino population. Those who survived lost their language, political structure and religion. By 1864, it was estimated that no more pure Taino people remained. In 1697, Spain signed a treaty ceding one third of Spanish Hispaniola to France, thereby establishing the division of the island that remains in place today. By 1789, Santo Domingo had become one of the least important and least wealthy colonies in the Spanish Empire. The population was only 125,000 people, which was minuscule when compared to the French third of the island. The French colony of Saint Domingue was the wealthiest in the entire Caribbean. In 1795, the Treaty of Basel transferred Santo Domingo from Spain to France. It was returned to Spanish hands just 14 years later in 1809, after the Haitian Revolution. After Spain returned, Santo Domingo saw repeated attempts at independence. Lieutenant Governor Jose Nunez de Carceres declared independence on November 30, 1821, starting what would become known as the ephemeral Independence period. The new country, called Spanish Haiti, only lasted for two months before it was fully annexed by Haiti. Haiti ruled for 22 years, during which time it was known as parte de l'. Este. In 1838, a secret society known as La Trinitaria was founded by Juan Pablo Duarte with the goal of achieving independence from Haiti without foreign intervention. Other independence movements were being led simultaneously by Francisco del Rosario Sanchez and Ramon Matias Mea. These three men became known as the Founding fathers of the Dominican Republic. Independence from Haiti was cleared by la Trinitia on February 27, 1844. Over the next many decades, the Dominican Republic faced opposition from Haiti, the rise and fall of various governments, tyranny, economic difficulties, and other problems. During this time, the most important political figure was Pedro Santana. For almost two decades, Santana exiled, imprisoned or executed many of his political rivals. However, the political and economic struggles of the Dominican Republic during that period led Santana to ask Queen Isabella II of Spain to take the territory back. Spain annexed the territory once again and sent 30,000 troops to occupy the country. During that time, Haiti began to provide refuge and logistical aid to revolutionaries who did not want to return to Spanish rule. This began a civil war known as the War of Restoration. The War of restoration lasted for two years, from 1863 to 1865, with the rebels of the Dominican Republic ultimately emerging victorious. Following reclaiming their independence, the Dominican Republic again faced a period of political uncertainty. The country finally reached some level of stability in the 1880s under the leadership of General Lillys Heroul. Herou actually put the country in significant debt as leader, as most of the wealth of the country went to support his police state or towards his own personal use. And not surprisingly, he was assassinated in 1899. Despite his assassination, the stability his rule instilled over the country continued. This allowed the Dominican economy to experience dramatic improvements as sugar plantations modernized and more people began immigrating to the island. During the early 20th century, the Dominican Republic's governments continued to experience instability. Simultaneously, the country was facing pressure from European powers to repay debts, something that the Dominican Republic couldn't afford. To help pay back their debts, the Dominican Republic went to the United States. The United States was fearful that European involvement in the Caribbean would weaken their influence in the region. The US and the Dominican Republic made a deal in which the United States would help the Dominican Republic pay off its debt in exchange for keeping European powers out. In 1911, the Dominican Republic fell back into a period of political turmoil, including a civil war following the assassination of President Ramon Caceres. The United States then stepped in and occupied the country from 1916 to 1924. During the occupation, there was some initial conflict between the United States and the native Dominicans, but peace was eventually established with many of the laws and institutions established during the occupation remaining in place afterwards. Additionally, the United States helped create hundreds of schools in the Dominican Republic which never existed before. In 1930, the Dominican Republic faced another threat when a military coup led by General Rafael Trujillo took control of the government. Trujillo took power and established himself as a dictator in the classic Latin American sense. Initial resistance to his rule was quickly squashed. The Trujillo era was characterized by iron fisted authoritarian rule. Nonetheless, some improvements were made under his leadership. Under Trujillo, transportation, healthcare and education underwent significant improvements. Additionally, the administration constructed houses, created pension plans, helped establish an official border with Haiti and cleared the country of its debts. But despite the economic improvements, the Dominican Republic saw dramatic reductions in civil rights. Those who opposed Trujillo often suffered imprisonment, torture and murder. One of the worst cases took place in 1937 when 10 to 15,000 Haitians living on the border were hacked to death with machetes following the assassination of several Dominicans in New York City. The United States and many of the elite members of Dominican society supported Trujillo despite the horrific acts of violence committed under his rule because he was an anti communist. In the middle of the Cold War. However, the United States eventually withdrew support in 1960 following his attempt to assassinate the Venezuelan President. Following the assassination attempt, the Dominican Republic faced embargoes from the United States. This caused the country's economy to plummet, making Trujillo expendable. He was assassinated in 1961. Following the assassination, Trujillo's son took over control of the Dominican Republic for the next six months. The dictator's brothers then also returned to the country. The US Then threatened the Trujillo, stating that if they decided to re establish a dictatorship, the United States would not sit idly by. The threat along with a few warships led to the Trujillos fleeing the country and the lifting of the embargo. Once again, the country faced a period of political turmoil. Over the following decades, peacekeeping troops would be sent to the Dominican Republic to help maintain peace. From 1965 to 1966. In 1966, the country began to stabilize again, followed by the election of Joaquin Balaguer. His period of rule was still marked by repression of civil liberties and human rights, but it didn't attract international intervention. Balaguer ruled for 12 years before being dismissed from office and he would later be re elected. Jumping forward to 1996, a new political party, the Dominican Liberation Party, or PWL, won the presidential election following their victory. The party remained the dominant force in the Dominican Republic until 2020 when the modern Revolutionary Party was elected. Today, the Dominican Republic has the fastest growing economy in all of Latin America. By size, it's the largest economy in the Caribbean by income. It's classified as an upper middle income country with a GDP per capita of nearly $10,900 in 2024. The history of the Dominican Republic has been unlike that of any of its neighbors in the region. They were a colony, became independent and then they were colonized again, became independent and were colonized again. They suffered dictators and occupations by the United States, but after decades of ups and downs, with a lot of downs, they have managed to become one of the fastest growing and largest economies in the entire Caribbean. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Austin Otkin and Cameron Kiefer. Research and writing for this episode was provided by Olivia Ash. My big thanks go to everyone who supports the show over on Patreon. Your support helps make this podcast possible, and I also want to remind everyone about the community groups on Facebook and Discord. This is where everything happens that's outside of the show. As always, if you leave a review on any major podcast app or in the above community groups, you too can have it read in the show.