WELCOME TO THE CARIBBEAN!

1
WELCOME TO THE CARIBBEAN
2
(No Transcript)
3
Group Think

• Brainstorm a list of descriptive words for each
  of these aspects of the Caribbean
• Physical Environment
• Culture
• Economic Activities
• What does the Caribbean seem to be most
  well-known for?
• Why do you think this is the case?

4
Read it and Listen!

• Music and pop culture are often the vehicles
  through which a peoples history is expressed
• Listen to Bob Marleys song Slave Driver and
  follow along with the lyrics
• As you listen, identify lyrics that reflect the
  history of the region

5
Slave Driver Lyrics
6
A History of the Caribbean

• First in Habitants Arawak Natives lived
  peacefully
• In the 15th century, the fierce Caribs came to
  South America and took over the Lesser Antilles
• The Caribs kept Arawak women and kids as slaves
  they tortured and ate the men took over the
  Greater Antilles

7
History cont

• Columbus arrived in 1492 lumped all the natives
  together all considered Caribs used them for
  slaves (or killed them)
• Many natives died out (1492 300 000 in
  Haiti/Domican Republic. By 1514 only 14 000)
• Caribs managed to remain a separate group in
  Dominca, until the French British Took over.

8
History cont

• 1640s sugar plantations became popular. As a
  result, Europeans brought slaves over from Africa
  to work (legally).
• In 1807, the freeing of the slaves began, but
  they still remained poor.
• There remains today a society which bases status
  on your class. Racism does not exist on colour,
  rather than status.
• The white people of the Caribbean however
  maintain the wealth of the area.

9
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

• Region consists of THREE major island groups The
  Bahamas, The Greater Antilles and The Lesser
  Antilles
• Situated in Caribbean Sea. Gulf of Mexico to the
  west and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east
• Ideal for tourism. Sun and Sea!

10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

• Tropical climate
• December April sunny, dry, warm
• May November hot, humid, wet
• Trade winds blow from the east across Atlantic
• Subject to violent storms and hurricanes

13
CULTURE

• Unique blending of Amerindian, African and
  European cultures
• Approx. ¾ of population is of African descent
• East Indian and Chinese workers came in 19th
  Century

14
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

• Trans-Atlantic Slave trade (c. 16th C) brought
  people from all over Africa to the Caribbean to
  work on plantations (sugar, coffee, tea etc.)
• Slaves developed common language to communicate
  known as Creole (mix of African syntax and
  colonial languages)
• Blend of cultures given rise to new phenomena
  such as calypso music (first developed in
  Trinidad) and soca music

15
(No Transcript)
16
CULTURE

• Each island has distinct culture
• Festivals, music, art, customs and food reflect
  cultural mosaic
• Eg. Sun Splash annual reggae music festival
  held in Montego Bay, Jamaica
• Crop Over in Barbados

17
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

• Caribbean region is part of the developing world
  (countries with low GDPs, low standards of living
  compared to developed countries)
• Commercial agriculture is important to economy
• Bananas, citrus fruits, coffee, sugar cane grown
  for export

18
(No Transcript)
19
(No Transcript)
20
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

• Sugar cane is main agricultural export of
  Jamaica, Cuba and Dominican Republic
• Subsistence Farming (farming to feed your family)
  is still practiced
• Caribbean is dependent on agricultural exports,
  and now TOURISM!
• Tourism offers the most potential for economic
  growth and security
• In 2011, TT provided direct 614,000 jobs

21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)