D: 11/14/12 A: Notes on the West Indies S: What is similar about Central America and the West Indies? H: Aztec codex due Friday 11/16/12 w.o.d: commonwealth Warm-Up: Answer the question under Interpreting the Graph on pg 188. Write the question and answer.

Word of the Day WORD commonwealth DEIFINTION Partly self- governing territory. SENTENCE Puerto Rico is a common- wealth of the US. PICTURE

I. Mountain Top Islands a.These groups of island are called archipelago b.Most of these island are formed by underwater volcanoes c.Some are made of limestone and pushed up by earthquakes

II. Climate a.Tropical Savannah with ocean winds that keep mild temperatures between 70 & 85 b.Hurricanes hit during summer and fall months

III. Economy a.Tourism is the main way these islands make money b.Plantations of bananas, coffee, tobacco and sugarcane is also done and export to other countries i.If there are to many of any of these crops the economy suffers because the price of the goods fall world wide. c.There is some mining of bauxite that makes aluminum

IV. History a.Christopher Columbus lands in the Bahamas in 1492 b.In 1469 the Spanish established its first settlement in the Dominican Republic c.The West Indies were used in triangular trade and is where the US got all its slaves from d.In the 1800 & 1900 the islands became independent and set up democracies or parliamentary democracies. e.Cuba set up a communist government f.Some of the islands are still colonies to other countries

V. Daily Life a.The people are Native American, African, European, or Asian b.Most people live in Cuba, speak European languages, and follow Roman Catholic or protestant religions. c.Most people work for the Hotels those that don’t farm d.The steel drum and reggae are parts of the popular music e.Baseball is most popular with Soccer in second

VI. Cuba a.Worlds top producer of sugar with people working and government owned farms called cooperatives b.They also grow coffee, tobacco, rice & fruit and make cigars c.Being a communist state means that there is a dictator named Fidel Castro and most people live in poverty due to poor economy

VII. Jamaica a.They speak Creole a mixture of English and African languages b.Gained independence from England c.Exports bauxite, sugar, coffee and bananas

VIII. Haiti a.Gained independence from France b.1st country to be founded by a former slave c.Most people are of African decent d.Exports coffee and sugar

IX. Dominican Republic a.Shares Hispaniola with Haiti b.Sugar is its main crop c.Tourism is beginning to make a lot of money due to its free trade zone that allows things to be sold tax free

X. Puerto Rico a.The United States won Puerto Rico from Spain during the Spanish-American war in b.Every few years Puerto Rico votes to decide it should become a US state c.The people of Puerto Rico are US citizens and can come and go as they please d.They make machines, clothes and grow sugarcane & coffee e.They make more from tourism than any other West Indies island.