Page "History of the Dominican Republic" Paragraph 9

With the conquest of the American mainland, Hispaniola quickly declined.

Most Spanish colonists left for the silver-mines of Mexico and Peru, while new immigrants from Spain bypassed the island.

Agriculture dwindled, new imports of slaves ceased, and white colonists, free blacks, and slaves alike lived in poverty, weakening the racial hierarchy and aiding intermixing, resulting in a population of predominantly mixed Spaniard, African, and Taíno descent.

Except for the city of Santo Domingo, which managed to maintain some legal exports, Dominican ports were forced to rely on contraband trade, which, along with livestock, became the sole source of livelihood for the island dwellers.

In 1586, Sir Francis Drake captured the city of Santo Domingo, collecting a ransom for its return to Spanish rule.