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What is the Caribbean region geographically?

The area in the Americas comprising the Caribbean Sea, its islands and surrounding areas (southeast of North America, east of Central America, northwest of South America).

Approximately how many islands and islets are in the Caribbean region?

Over 7,000 islands and islets.

What is the approximate land area of the Caribbean region given in the source?

Roughly 1,063,000 square miles (2,754,000 sq. km).

What was the United Nations population estimate for the Caribbean at the beginning of June 2016?

43,465,216.

Into how many sub-regions is the Caribbean divided in the source?

Four sub-regions.

What three groups make up the Lesser Antilles?

The Windward Islands, the Leeward Islands, and the Leeward Antilles.

Which islands are named as the Greater Antilles?

Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

Which mainland territories are listed as Caribbean territories?

Belize, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana.

Name three “other territories” included in the Caribbean region.

Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

What strict geographic criterion is often used to define the Caribbean?

Territories “washed by” the Caribbean Sea (the Caribbean Basin).

Why do The Bahamas not fit the strict geographical definition but are still considered Caribbean?

The Bahamas are not washed by the Caribbean Sea (they are in the Atlantic) but are nevertheless accepted as part of the Caribbean region.

Which Central American mainland countries are included in the geographical Caribbean because they are washed by the Caribbean Sea?

Panama, Colombia, Belize, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras (listed in the source).

Which mainland South American territories are geographically considered South American and excluded from the strict geographic Caribbean?

Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana (they border the Atlantic and are geographically South American).

According to the source, what are the geographic boundaries of the ‘geographical’ Caribbean (north, south, east, west)?

North — Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti; South — coast of Colombia, Venezuela and Panama; East — Lesser Antilles chain; West — Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.

What does the geological definition of the Caribbean refer to?

The area defined by the Caribbean Plate, sharing seismic, tectonic and volcanic features.

Which island arc characterizes much of the geological Caribbean?

The Lesser Antilles archipelago, formed at an active plate margin at the eastern edge of the Caribbean Plate.

Where does the western edge of the Caribbean Plate lie relative to Central America?

In the Pacific, just beyond the coasts of Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama; the geological boundary extends to the Pacific coastline of Central America.

How does the geological northern edge of the Caribbean Plate affect Belize, Cuba and The Bahamas?

The northern edge is determined by the Greater Antilles line, which leaves Belize, Cuba and The Bahamas outside the geological Caribbean.

According to the geological definition, how is Guyana classified?

Guyana is classified as extra-regional because the plate line in the south runs through Trinidad, northern Venezuela and Colombia.

What is the historical definition of the Caribbean based on?

Shared experiences of European colonisation, slavery, indentureship and the plantation system.

Which four European powers were the leading colonisers of the Caribbean?

Spain, Holland (the Netherlands), France and Britain.

Name other European powers that at times claimed Caribbean territories.

Denmark, Sweden and Portugal.

What shared economic system did colonial powers implement in the Caribbean?

Large-scale agricultural production on plantations supported by imported labour (slavery and later indentureship).

What was the encomienda system?

A Spanish policy granting colonists land and responsibility for indigenous people who were expected to repay the encomenderos with labour and tribute while receiving “protection” and Christian instruction.

What were the Laws of Burgos and the New Law of the Indies intended to do?

They were Spanish laws meant to regulate the encomienda system and protect indigenous people, though they largely failed in practice.

What was the plantation system and when did it begin in the Caribbean?

A long-lasting system of large-scale agriculture (notably sugar and tobacco) using intensive, often coerced labour; it began in the colonial period and continued into the post-slavery era.

How large was a typical plantation and how many labourers did it need?

Average plantation ~150 acres and required about one labourer per acre, so roughly 150–160 labourers for optimum production.

How did plantation owners attempt to reduce labour costs after slavery?

They coerced paid labourers, charged rent for housing, and kept living costs on labourers to a minimum; plantation work remained harsh and intensive.

What form of slavery was used in the Caribbean and what did it mean?

Chattel slavery — enslaved people were owned as property; slavery was inheritable (children of slaves were slaves).

What was “seasoning” in the context of Caribbean slavery?

The use of religious instruction and punitive sanctions to break enslaved people into habits that made them more compliant and productive.

Roughly how many Africans were transported across the Middle Passage and how many were forced to settle in the Caribbean?

Around 10–15 million Africans were transported; about 4.5 million were forced to settle in the Caribbean.

Give main reasons Europeans preferred African labour for plantations.

Existing African slave trade infrastructure, lower cost than European labour, perceived acclimatization to tropical conditions, and availability of large populations to replace high mortality.

What effects did African forced migration have on Caribbean society?

Growth of plantation economy and sugar production, creation of new hybrid cultures, racial stratification, demographic changes (large African populations and increases in mixed-race groups).

What cultural practices in the Caribbean reflect African influence?

Religious movements (Santería, Vodou, Obeah), heavy use of drums in music, and reliance on herbal traditional medicine.

What were common forms of resistance to slavery listed in the source?

Non-violent resistance (sabotage, malingering), flight/maroonage, and violent resistance/revolt.

What is “maroonage”?

Running away from plantations and forming independent, often guerrilla, communities (Maroon communities) in remote areas.

Which revolution is identified as the only successful slave uprising in the Caribbean?

The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804), which led to a black-led republic in 1804.

What was the Apprenticeship system mentioned in the context of emancipation?

A transitional period after emancipation where some freed people continued partial bonded labour obligations (up to four years in some colonies) before full freedom (ended fully in 1838 for British colonies).

When was slavery abolished in the British Caribbean by the Emancipation Act?

The Emancipation Act passed in 1833; slaves in most colonies were set free in 1834 with full freedom by 1838 in British West Indies.

What labour system replaced slavery and who were its main recruits?

Indentureship — recruiting labourers mainly from India and China under 4–5 year contracts to work on plantations after emancipation.

How many East Indian and Chinese immigrants entered the Caribbean under indentureship (source figures)?

More than 400,000 East Indian immigrants between 1838 and 1917; approximately 20,000 Chinese immigrants between 1852 and 1893.

What major abuses ended the Chinese and Indian indentureship schemes?

Reports of abuse and forced or illegal recruitment led the Chinese government to stop endorsement early; the Indian government ended the scheme in 1917.

What economic effects did Asian indentured migration have on receiving colonies?

Boost to sugar production (notably Guyana), depressed wages for other workers, and diversification of economy (e.g., Chinese introduction of rice cultivation).

How did migration shape Caribbean diasporic communities?

Migrants formed transnational communities in cities worldwide, sent remittances (creating “barrel children” phenomenon), caused brain drain but also skill transfer and cultural exchange.

What is the Caribbean diaspora as defined in the source?

Migration of Caribbean people to many countries who still identify with the Caribbean; includes migrants, those connected by descent, and descendants born abroad.

What regional political organisations are named as political definitions of the Caribbean?

The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

What is CARICOM’s main purpose?

To promote economic integration and cooperation among member states (15 nations and 5 dependencies/associate members).

Which non-island territories are CARICOM members despite being in South or Central America?

Guyana and Suriname (South America) and Belize (Central America).

What chronological periods/events form the outline of Caribbean history in the source?

Settlement by Eurasian groups (11,000–12,000 yrs ago), Taino/Kalinago migrations (1200s–1300s), Columbus/Spanish arrival (1492–1494), plantation slavery (1500s–1700s), revolutions and end of slave trade (1791–1832), Emancipation and indentureship (1833–1838 onward), labour unrest (1865–1930s), universal suffrage and independence movement (1940s–present).

What were key drivers for political enfranchisement and independence movements in the Caribbean?

Migration exposure, returning soldiers from WWI, the Great Depression and labour unrest (1929–38), emergence of trade unions, black consciousness movements (e.g., Marcus Garvey), and post-war constitutional reforms leading to universal adult suffrage and internal self-government.

What were the major outcomes of the Morant Bay Rebellion (1865) mentioned in the source?

It convinced Britain to pursue constitutional reform in Jamaica and led to Crown Colony rule in 1866, reducing local assemblies’ powers.

What is “slash and burn” agriculture and who used it historically?

A method of clearing and fertilizing land by cutting and burning vegetation, used by Tainos and Mayans and later by poor peasant farmers; ash acts as fertiliser and plots rested up to eight years.

What demographic change occurred in colonies where plantations were first established?

A dominant African segment developed in British, Dutch and French territories; Spanish colonies had less dominant African segments due to later plantation introduction.

How did plantation culture affect family structures according to the source?

Extended family traditions were disrupted; restrictions on marriage and family life led to absentee fathers and common-law relationships as lasting legacies.

What kinds of occupations did enslaved people on plantations perform besides field labour?

Artisans, skilled labourers, household servants, and factory workers; household workers faced psychological stress and sexual exploitation.

What were push/pull reasons for Amerindian migration into the Caribbean c. AD 600–700 (Tainos)?

Movement from the Orinoco Valley (Venezuela) possibly due to flooding, hurricanes, and competition for territory; pushed north by Kalinago raids.

Where did the Kalinagos mostly settle and what was their societal focus?

The Kalinagos settled mostly in the Lesser Antilles; their society focused more on warfare and trading, with elected leaders and fluid social structure.

How did European settlement patterns differ between larger and smaller Caribbean islands?

Europeans (especially Spaniards) settled the mineral-rich, larger Greater Antilles suited to large-scale agriculture; other Europeans settled smaller Lesser Antilles where Spain had less interest.

What treaty brokered by the Pope partitioned claims between Spain and Portugal after Columbus’s voyage?

The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494).

What was the triangular trade?

The trans-Atlantic trade route that carried European goods to Africa, enslaved Africans to the Americas (Middle Passage), and American colonial products (like sugar) back to Europe.

Name four leaders associated with major slave rebellions mentioned in the source.

Toussaint L’Ouverture (Haiti), Bussa (Barbados), Jack Gladstone (Guyana), Samuel “Sam” Sharpe (Jamaica).

What was the typical duration and nature of the Apprenticeship system after British emancipation?

A transitional system lasting up to four years where former slaves remained in partial bonded labour before full freedom in 1838 in British colonies.

What is the depth of the Puerto Rico trench as given in the source?

About 8,400 metres (deepest part of the Atlantic).

What is the highest point on Hispaniola and its elevation noted in the source?

Pico Duarte in the Dominican Republic at 3,098 metres.

Give examples of minerals/resources and countries listed in the source.

Bauxite in Jamaica; oil and gas in Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago; other minerals like gold and nickel in regions of northern South America.

What was the Moyne Commission (West India Royal Commission) recommendation noted in the source?

It recommended constitutional reforms including a wider franchise and the establishment of a colonial fund to support the colonial working class.

How does the source describe mortality during the Middle Passage?

Many Africans died on the three-month voyage; tens of thousands died en route though about 10–15 million were transported in total and ~4.5 million reached the Caribbean. d