 With a partner answer the questions on the worksheet handed out in class as you read through the information in this presentation.  Print one picture of the homes and one other culture trait for both Haiti and Cuba.  Staple pictures and worksheet together. Place both partners names on the front and turn in to the appropriate drawer.

 Belize  Guatemala  El Salvador  Honduras  Nicaragua  Costa Rica  Panama  Mexico

 Cuba  Haiti  The Bahamas  Dominican Republic  Jamaica  Trinidad and Tobago  Dominica  Saint Lucia  Antigua and Barbuda  Barbados  Grenada  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  Saint Kitts and Nevis

 Influenced by the Spanish  calypso music   Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago during the early to mid 20th century. Afro-Caribbean music that originated in  Its rhythms can be traced back to West African Kaiso and the arrival of French planters and their slaves from the French Antilles in the 1600s.

 Most of Central America’s population lives in rural area because farming is the primary economic activity in the region.

 Area: 10,714 square miles  Population: 9,719,932  Capital: Port au PrincePort au Prince

 The first European habitation of Haiti was with the Spanish when they used the island of Hispaniola (of which Haiti is a part) during their exploration of the Western Hemisphere  By 1804 however, local forces beat the French, established their independence and named the area Haiti.  Shortly after regaining its independence, Haiti was ruled by a dictatorship but from 1986 to 1991, it was ruled by various temporary governments.  In 1987, its constitution was ratified to include an elected president as head of state but also a prime minister, cabinet and supreme court.

 Today Haiti is a republic with two legislative bodies.  The first is the Senate which comprises the National Assembly while the second is the Chamber of Deputies.  Haiti's executive branch is made up of chief of state whose position is filled by the president and a head of government which is filled by the prime minister.  The judicial branch is made up of Haiti's Supreme Court

 Haiti is a small country located on the western part of the island of Hispaniola and is west of the Dominican Republic.  It is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland and is two-thirds mountainous.  The rest of the country features valleys, plateaus and plains.  Haiti's climate is mainly tropical but it is also semiarid in the east where its mountain areas block the trade winds.  It should also be noted that Haiti is in the middle of the hurricane region of the Caribbean and is subject to severe storms from June to October. hurricane region of the Caribbean and is subject to severe storms from June to October.  Haiti is also prone to flooding, earthquakes and droughts. Haiti is also prone to flooding, earthquakes and droughts.

 Haiti is the poorest as 80% of its population lives below poverty level.  Most of its people contribute to the agricultural sector and work in subsistence farming.  Many of these farms however are vulnerable to damage from natural disasters which has been made worse by the country's widespread deforestation.  Larger scale agricultural products include coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum and wood.  Although industry is small, sugar refining, textiles and some assembly are common in Haiti.

 It/Haiti.html

 Language: Spanish  Religion: Roman Catholic  Ga/Cuba.html

 Spanish colony that won independence in  the leader Batista was overthrown by rebel groups. The leader of the rebels, Fidel Castro, took over  Cuba became a communist country under Castro’s rule.  The government took over all businesses and land. Anyone who disagreed with the government went to jail.  Large numbers of Cubans left and settled in Miami, FL

 1960’s- Cuba became allies with the Soviet Union and began adopting communism. This caused tension between the United States and Cuba because of the Cold War.

 The United States does not agree with communist Cuba so any Cuban that makes it to US shores gets to stay!  The US also does not trade with Cuba. This is called an embargo.  In 2008, Fidel Castro stepped down as dictator because he was sick and his brother Raul Castro took over.  Today Cuba is still communist

 Cuba's government has recently become freer of government controls and as such there have been reforms aimed at increasing its efficiency and reducing food shortages.  In addition, in March 2011, the government announced that 500,000 state jobs would be eliminated for more self-employment opportunities (CIA World Factbook).  The main industries in Cuba are sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery and pharmaceuticals (CIA World Factbook).  Agriculture also plays a role in Cuba's economy and the main products are sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans and livestock (CIA World Factbook).

 Cuba is located in the Caribbean about 150 km south of Key West, Florida (map).  It is a very large island with a varied topography that consists of flat to rolling plains and hilly to rugged mountain areas in its southeast.  The highest point in Cuba is Pico Turquino at 6,578 feet (2,005 m).  The climate of Cuba is tropical but it is moderated throughout the year by the trade winds  In addition, Cuba has a dry season from November to April and a rainy season from May to October. Havana, the capital and largest city in Cuba, has an average January low temperature of 65.5˚F (18.6˚C) and an average August high of 90˚F (32˚C)

 Free enterprise system - an economic system in which private business operates in competition and largely free of state control  Rule by one - a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)  ex: dictatorship, monocracy, totalitarianism, tyranny, absolutism, monocracy, totalitarianism, tyranny, absolutism  Cultural Diffusion- the transmission of elements or features of one culture to another.  Deforestation- to divest or clear of forests or treesforests