1. Unit 9 Central America and the Caribbean

2. Physical Geography Mountains
Main Idea: Mountains support region’s economy
Details: Cool Climate, Rich soil, ideal for growing coffee, a key export
Archipelago
Main Idea: The Caribbean Islands are a curving chain of islands, an archipelago
Details: Dense forests, lots of rain, contain many resources

3. Physical Geography (cont.)
Rain Forest
Main Idea: Rain forests help support a region’s economy
Details: Dense forests, lots of rain, contain many resources

4. Earthquakes and Volcanoes
2. Cause: Location of islands on plates Effect: movement of plates caused the Haiti earthquake in 2010 Effect: extensive damage, 200,000 killed, many left homeless 3. Cause: Haiti’s 2010 Earthquake Effect: Earthquake damaged critical systems Effect: Haitians went without water, electricity, medical help. People around the world responded with donations.

5. Rain Forests of Central America
Main Idea: Based on these ideas, rain forests are important to the economy of Central America Circle: Rain forest tourism helps the economy without damaging the rain forest Circle: Rain forest land is used for farming, ranching, and timber harvesting Circle: Many commercial uses lead to deforestation. Certain farming methods can help prevent damage.

6. Vocabulary
Ecosystem – a place where plants and animals rely on the environment to survive
Deforestation – forest loss
Cash crops – crops for profit
Triangular trade – trade among the Americas, Europe, and Africa

7. Trade Across Continents
After Spanish colonization, the region’s resources were quickly put to trade
Land was well suited for growing cash crops and other materials that were in short supply in Europe
Natives were exploited for labor, many died from disease
Shortage of natives led to use of African slave labor
Triangular trade was enacted in the 1500s
Raw materials from Central America/Caribbean to Europe
Manufactured goods from Europe to Africa
Slaves from Africa to Central America/Caribbean

8. The Columbian Exchange
The exchange of plants, animals, and diseases across the world. The basic elements of everyday life – from food to health – changed forever on several continents.

9. Paths Toward Independence
The triangular trade led to strong competition between the European nations for raw materials and territory.
Forced labor and harsh conditions by the Europeans led to independence movements in the colonies.
1791 – Haiti (Saint-Domingue) was the leader of sugarcane production
A few wealthy colonists used over 500,000 slaves, and increased production led to more slaves
French Revolution spread to the colonies, leading to slave rebellion

10. Paths Toward Independence
1794 – French ended slavery, but kept control of the island
Former slave Toussaint L’Ouverture began a movement for independence
1803 –Dies in prison
Shortly after, his army defeats the French army and declared independence on January 1, 1804

11. Paths Toward Independence
1821 – Mexico took control over much of present-day Central America
1823 – Central America broke off and became United Provinces of Central America; over the next 20 years, each province would declare independence

12. Paths Toward Independence
Haiti was the first in the Caribbean to become independent
The US and Europe wanted to keep control the islands’ resources and kept control
Many of the islands wouldn’t see independence until the 1900s, some as late as the 1980s – Some are still European territories

13. Label the Following on the Map:
Nicaragua
El Salvador
Honduras
Bahamas
Cuba
Jamaica
Guatemala
Trinidad and Tobago
Panama
Barbados
Costa Rica
Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic
Haiti
Belize

14. Comparing Cuba and Puerto Rico
Facts
Cuba
Puerto Rico
Settled by the Spanish x
Ideal for growing sugar
Good natural harbors
Ruled as a colony from 1500s to 1900
Spanish built large sugar plantations
Native people rebelled several times
Controlled by US after Spanish American War

15. Comparing Cuba and Puerto Rico
Facts
Cuba
Puerto Rico
Won independence as a result of the Spanish American War x
Governed by corrupt governors for 50 years
Became communist after a revolution in 1959
Government controls the economy
Has no trade with US
Became a US commonwealth in 1952
People are American citizens and can move to the states
Citizens have political freedoms and can vote in elections
Has free-enterprise economy based on manufacturing and tourism

16. Comparing Cuba and Puerto Rico
What effect has the political situation in each country today had on its economy?
Politically, Cuba is a communist country with a dictator, and there is no free-enterprise economy like there is in Puerto Rico, which is a commonwealth of the US. Puerto Rico’s economy is stronger. People have more freedom, businesses can open and operate free of government control, and they can pursue ways to grow them.

17. The Panama Canal
I read: In 1855, the United States completed the first railroad across Panama. Goods and people could now travel by rail across the isthmus. The idea for the canal still remained.
I know: People still wanted to build a canal across the isthmus. The French failed at building the canal, and the US took over the project 14 years later. The project took eleven years.
And so: Shipping goods across the isthmus via the canal would probably be more efficient than shipping goods via train. Boats now don’t have to go around South America. Goods can now move around quicker and easier.

18. Comparing Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Strong, stable economy
Enjoyed peace for over 60 years
Tourism employs more than half of the population
Government has worked hard to keep the poverty rate steady
Nicaragua:
Became the poorest country in Central America
Unstable government since independence
Earthquakes destroyed infrastructure
Almost half of the population is below the poverty line

19. Comparing Costa Rica and Nicaragua
SIMILARITIES:
Have economic challenges
Are building more stable economies
Are in the same region

20. Challenges in Haiti Textual information
Haiti faces many great challenges in its efforts to build a strong economy and decrease poverty.
After 1804, the Haitians were independent but were penniless.
No nations helped support Haiti until the 1990s.
Haiti has a low HDI: people are less healthy, less educated than in other countries.
Political Corruption has worked against improving the quality of life.
A major earthquake caused horrible damage but brought international aid to the country.

21. Challenges in Haiti Visual Information:
A team of rescue workers from China are dressed in safety uniforms, helmets and goggles.
The Chinese rescue team inspect concrete rubble of a building, possibly looking for survivors.
An aerial photo shows the tent city that Haitians set up in the rubble.
The tents are all different and their color contrasts with the gray-brown of the buildings around them. It is crowded. The buildings are already close together.
The graphic of data calls out a number of agencies who responded to the earthquake, the number of Haitians displaced, and the number of vaccines given.