Prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 , The Taino people ruled the land we call The Dominican Republic , for centuries. Columbus called the island (today Hiaiti and Domiincan Republic, La Isla Espanola” “little Spanish Island”.
On Columbus’s second voyage, a year later, he brought African slaves to replace the Taino people, who were decimated by disease, forced labor,. etc. The French colonized the West side of the later and kept the Taiino name, ” Ayiti” today Haiti and Spain controlled the eastern side, known today as the Dominican Republic.
A former slave, Toussaint Louverture led the fight against the French. His leadership was followed by and Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who declared Haiti Independent on January 1st, 1804.
Henri Christophe expanded the Haiti to later control the whole island, which lasted until February 27th, 1844, which is when The Spanish reclaimed their independence back from Haiti and celebrates its Independence Day on February 27th each year from the rule of Haiti
