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However, as sugar gained prosperity, it faced new challenges; abolitionists began boycotting slave-grown sugar, leading to the rise of alternative sources like Indian sugar and, intriguingly, sugar beets.
Hawaii: The Hidden Chapter of Sugar's History
The narrative also touches on Hawaii's sugar history. When Captain James Cook arrived in the 18th century, sugarcane was already being cultivated by Hawaiians. Yet, the influence of American settlers and mission families dramatically transformed land ownership and sugar production in the islands. Following significant developments like the Great Mahele, sugar plantations flourished while the native population suffered new waves of disease, creating new demographic patterns that mirrored those observed in the Caribbean.