1. Please grab out: a writing utensil, notebook/blank paper, your folder, and book. Please answer the following bell-ringer and remain silent after you are finished. Thank you. BR: What group of people do you feel influenced central America? Justify your answer.

3.  1492: Christopher Columbus discovered the Caribbean islands, believing them to be the Indies.  The islands are now 13 independent countries.  These countries show the influence of the first European colonizers.

4.  Columbus thought he had reached the Indies, and so he called the Caribbean the West Indies.  1600s-1700s: The English, French, Dutch, and Danish established colonies on the islands. They built sugarcane plantations that required many workers. Most Caribbean Indians died from disease, so Europeans brought enslaved Africans.  Africans and their descendents outnumbered Europeans.

5.  1804: Toussaint-L’Ouverture helped Haiti win independence from France and freedom for slaves.  Mid-1800s: Dominican Republic  1902: Cuba from U.S.  After World War II, other Caribbean countries gained independence.  Some islands, such as Martinique and Guadeloupe, are still not independent.

6. Most islanders are descended from Europeans, Africans, or both. Some Asians, who came to work on plantations after slavery ended, live on the island.

7. People speak Spanish, English, French, and mixtures of African and European languages. Haitians speak French Creole, which is a dialect, or a regional variety of a language.

8. Former colonies are mostly Roman Catholic. People also blend Catholicism and traditional African religions.

9. Islanders celebrate a variety of holidays. The most widespread is Carnival, before Lent, when people celebrate with big parades, fancy costumes, and music.

10. Caribbean food reflects past. Yams and okra from Africa In Barbados, souse is made of pigs’ tails, ears, and snouts because slaveholders gave slaves the leftover parts of the pig. People from India brought curry to the region.

11. Puerto Rico U.S. commonwealth, or a self-governing territory associated with another country People are U.S. citizens with no voting rights. More developed than other Caribbean countries due to U.S. aid and investment Haiti Mountainous western third of Hispaniola Small farms, but exports coffee and sugarcane Poorest country due to corruption Many become refugees, or people fleeing to another country for political or economic reasons. Dominican Republic Eastern part of Hispaniola More developed than Haiti but not rich Capital Santo Domingo is the first permanent European settlement in Western Hemisphere. Economy: agriculture and growing tourism

12. Cuba  Largest and most populous island with Havana as capital  Since 1959: Run by a Communist government headed by Fidel Castro  Communists took over U.S. owned businesses, so U.S. banned trade.  Farms are cooperatives, or organizations owned by its members and operated for mutual benefit.  Government controls the media. Other Islands  Jamaica is the largest of these other islands.  Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest.  A number of islands are territories of the U.S., Britain, France, and the Netherlands.  Some islands have land to grow coffee, sugarcane, and spices.  Others attract tourists.  New construction for tourists can harm natural environment.