1. WELCOME TO THE CARIBBEAN

3. 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

4. Slave Driver Lyrics

5. 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!

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

12. 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

13. 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

16. 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