Central America and Central America and the Caribbeanthe Caribbean

The Panama CanalThe Panama Canal The United States won control of the The United States won control of the

Panama Canal and a ten mile area Panama Canal and a ten mile area surrounding the canal by supporting if not surrounding the canal by supporting if not encouraging Panama to seek encouraging Panama to seek independence from Colombia.independence from Colombia.

The Panama CanalThe Panama Canal

The United States built and controlled the The United States built and controlled the Panama Canal due to a series of treaties Panama Canal due to a series of treaties that turned control of the canal over to that turned control of the canal over to Panama in 1999.Panama in 1999.

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Native and Colonial Central Native and Colonial Central AmericaAmerica

The Mayan people built a The Mayan people built a great civilization in southern great civilization in southern Mexico and Central Mexico and Central America.America.

The Mayan created many The Mayan created many temple cities that were used temple cities that were used for religious rituals. for religious rituals.

Each Mayan city was Each Mayan city was independent from the others independent from the others and ruled by a god-king.and ruled by a god-king.

Spanish Rule EndsSpanish Rule Ends Spain ruled Central Spain ruled Central

America until 1821 America until 1821 when Mexico won its when Mexico won its independence..independence..

In 1823, the all of the In 1823, the all of the Central American Central American countries declared their countries declared their independence form independence form Mexico and entered Mexico and entered into an alliance called into an alliance called the United Provinces of the United Provinces of Central America.Central America.

Caribbean InfluencesCaribbean Influences

The islands of the The islands of the Caribbean were Caribbean were inhabited by the Taino inhabited by the Taino when Christopher when Christopher Columbus arrived.Columbus arrived.

He believed that they He believed that they would make good would make good workers but most of workers but most of them died quickly from them died quickly from disease.disease.

Slavery is Introduced in the Slavery is Introduced in the CaribbeanCaribbean

Africans were brought Africans were brought to the Caribbean to to the Caribbean to replace the Taino. replace the Taino.

The slaves were The slaves were brought to work on the brought to work on the sugar plantations.sugar plantations.

The introduced African The introduced African population has helped population has helped to shape the culture of to shape the culture of the islands.the islands.

Multi Cultured CaribbeanMulti Cultured Caribbean

By the 1800s, By the 1800s, many European many European countries had countries had claimed islands in claimed islands in the Caribbean for the Caribbean for sugar productionsugar production

Caribbean IndependenceCaribbean Independence

Haiti was a French Haiti was a French colony that colony that successfully won its successfully won its independence as a independence as a rebellion of the rebellion of the slaves, led by slaves, led by Toussaint L’Ouverture Toussaint L’Ouverture overtook the French overtook the French government on the government on the island.island.

Toussaint L’OuvertureToussaint L’Ouverture

Other Successful RevolutionsOther Successful Revolutions

Jamaica, Trinidad Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago all and Tobago all achieved full achieved full independence from independence from Great Britain in Great Britain in 19621962

Cultural BlendsCultural Blends Central AmericaCentral America

– Native American Native American – SpanishSpanish– CatholicismCatholicism– Rural populationsRural populations– Spanish languageSpanish language

Problems Related to Problems Related to ConquestConquest

– DeforestationDeforestation– Inequitable economic Inequitable economic

divisionsdivisions– Dislocation of people Dislocation of people

CaribbeanCaribbean– Mixed EuropeanMixed European– Native American Native American – AfricanAfrican– CatholicismCatholicism– ProtestantismProtestantism– African religionsAfrican religions– Urban populationsUrban populations– Spanish, English, and Spanish, English, and

Dutch languagesDutch languages

Problems Related to Problems Related to ConquestConquest

– Slavery Slavery

EconomicsEconomics

Generally, the common people in Generally, the common people in Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean are poor due to the legacy of are poor due to the legacy of colonialism.colonialism.– Commercial farmingCommercial farming– 10% of world coffee10% of world coffee– BananasBananas– Forest productsForest products

Popular CulturePopular Culture Music-Music-

– Calypso: Combination of African, Calypso: Combination of African, Spanish, and Caribbean island Spanish, and Caribbean island elements, using steel drums, elements, using steel drums, guitars and improvised lyricsguitars and improvised lyrics..

ReggaeReggae

Developed in Developed in Jamaica in the Jamaica in the 1960s, as a 1960s, as a combination of combination of Caribbean, African Caribbean, African and American and American musical elements.musical elements.

Reggae deals with Reggae deals with social and religious social and religious issues.issues.

Bob Marley

Tourism and Informal EconomyTourism and Informal Economy

Caribbean:Caribbean:– Rapid population growth is leading to high Rapid population growth is leading to high

unemployment.unemployment.– Schools are preparing students for tourism Schools are preparing students for tourism

industry and agriculture.industry and agriculture.

Informal Economy: Many in Central America and Informal Economy: Many in Central America and the Caribbean work in informal economic the Caribbean work in informal economic industries such as street vending, and shoe industries such as street vending, and shoe shining as a way to make enough money daily shining as a way to make enough money daily to eat.to eat.

Poverty in the CaribbeanPoverty in the Caribbean