Caribbean Economy and Slavery

This flashcard set features key terms and definitions from the lecture on the Caribbean economy and the impacts of slavery.

Sugar Revolution

A rapid change from tobacco to sugar as the basic cash crop in the mid-to-late 17th century in the British and French West Indian islands.

Monoculture

The concentration on the cultivation of a single crop.

Absenteeism

The practice of owning land in one country but living in another.

Encomienda System

A system where indigenous people were assigned to Spanish colonists for labor, leading to significant population loss among natives.

Triangular Trade

A system of trade between Europe, West Africa, and the Americas, involving goods and enslaved persons.

Middle Passage

The sea route used to transport enslaved Africans to the Americas, characterized by overcrowded ships and high mortality rates.

Slave Codes

Laws enacted by colonial powers to control enslaved populations and define the relationship between masters and slaves.

Creolization

The blending of African and European cultures, particularly evident in Caribbean society.

Plantation Society

A rigid social and economic system defined by the plantation model, characterized by slavery and stratified social hierarchies.

Deficiency Act

Legislation aimed at addressing unequal rationing received by enslaved peoples.

Hogshead

A large barrel used for shipping sugar.

Curing House

A building on a plantation where excessive molasses drains from sugar, resulting in muscovado sugar.

Obeah

A traditional African religious belief system associated with magic and healing practices.

Patois

A creole language that developed among enslaved populations, combining elements from various African languages and English.

Field Slaves

Enslaved individuals who worked primarily in agricultural production on plantations.

Domestic Slaves

Slaves who worked in the households of their owners, typically receiving better treatment and conditions.