Chapter 6

A Frightening Voyage On October 12, 1492, Columbus spotted land in America He actually landed in the Bahamas The Arawaks The friendly people Columbus met Beginning of one of the greatest changes in history

West Indies, an Island World Columbus sailed home, thinking he found the water route to Asia (India) Name West Indies stuck Four Largest islands- Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola Many are archipelagos- chain of islands They named America in honor of an Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci (sailed near South America)

Two Kinds of Islands/Hurricanes Two Kinds Variety of Landscapes Limestone islands Generally flat Volcanic island More fertile soil More dangerous Hurricanes Biggest danger

People of the Caribbean Mulattoes Most Indians disappeared (disease) Mulattoes are born of one black parent and one white parent Slavery Most slaves were brought to the West Indies by sugar planters from England, France, and Netherlands Today is the result of that Spanish, Dutch, French, and English are spoken

Isthmus A small strip of land that connects two larger land areas Size of California Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama Very different in each country Coffee and Bananas

Daily Opener What is an archipelago?

Quick Review From Yesterday

Partner Project Find a partner One group of three Pick a country from the West Indies Cuba 13 Jamaica 11 Bahamas 2 Haiti 15 Dominican Republic 6

Project You will be making a three slide PowerPoint on your country Opening Slide- Title and picture of country Slide 1- Brief history of the Country Slide 2- Geography of the Country Slide 3- Economy of the Country and natural resources Slide 4- Government of the Country Picture on each slide

Lesson 2

Cuba Cuba is the Largest country in the West Indies Ideal place to grow sugarcane Only 90 miles from the United States Easy transportation of sugarcane

Revolution United States sugar companies controlled sugar business in Cuba until 1959 That year a revolution overthrew the government They “expropriated” the Americans To take the property of another Castro turned to the Soviet Union for aid and support Sold most sugar to U.S.S.R

U.S. and Cuban Relations cuban-missile-crisis cuban-missile-crisis

Puerto Rico The United States took control of it after the Spanish-American War (1898) Commonwealth of the United States Can make its own laws Citizens of the United States Cannot vote for President

Economic Success Until 1940, Puerto Rico was one of the poorest lands in Latin America Between ‘40 and ‘70 however they became one of the wealthiest Brought in industries that produce electronic equipment, appliances, textiles, and clothing

Hispaniola Dominican Republic Haiti Dominican Republic Economy is highly sugarcane and tourism Haiti Poorest country in the Western Hemisphere

Jamaica British colony until 1962 Grew coffee and sugarcane on huge plantations Brought Africans as slaves Economy Bauxite is used for making aluminum Tourism has become very important

Lesser Antilles Many smaller countries in the West Indies Largest is Trinidad and Tobago Rich because of oil and gas Tourism has become important to these countries