The West Indies is a subregion of North America that includes all the islands in the Antilles, the Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos. For many years, the region was heavily colonized by France, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Spain. The land of the West Indies was found to be highly cultivable and many large plantations were started by colonizers, run almost entirely on slave labor. Today the territories are now independent states, except for 5 territories that remain under British control.

The West Indies is referenced in "The History of Mary Prince" as a center of cruelty toward slaves. Prince says that, "Since I have been here I have often wondered how English people can go out into the West Indies and act in such a beastly manner" (Prince).

Click here to see photos of The West Indies in the 1820s.