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WELCOME TO THE CARIBBEAN. MS. PERCY. Group Think. At your table, 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?.
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WELCOME TO THE CARIBBEAN MS. PERCY
Group Think • At your table, 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?
The History • At your table, re-order the information so that it makes sense • Read it together and discuss this question: How might the colonial history of the Caribbean help to explain why it is economically less developed than North America or Europe?
Read it and Listen! • Read pages 64-66 in Travel and Tourism and answer questions 4 and 6 on page 67 • Music and pop culture are often the vehicles through which a peoples’ history is expressed • Listen to Bob Marley’s song “Slave Driver”and follow along with the lyrics • As you listen, identify lyrics that reflect the history of the region
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!
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
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
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
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
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
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, T&T provided direct 614,000 jobs