WELCOME TO THE CARIBBEAN

1. WELCOME TO THE CARIBBEAN

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 Marley’s 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 con’t • 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 con’t • 1640’s 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!

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

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

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, T&T provided direct 614,000 jobs