Study Guide for the Midterm Exam AAS-018

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms relevant to the study of Caribbean history and culture, particularly in relation to colonialism, slavery, and cultural identity.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World after Columbus's voyages.

Encomienda

A system that granted Spanish colonists the right to demand labor from Indigenous people in the Americas.

Creolization

The process through which elements of different cultures mix and create new, hybrid cultures.

Negritude

A literary and cultural movement that celebrated Black culture and identity.

Diaspora

The dispersion of any people from their original homeland.

Triangular Trade

A historical trade route between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, involving the exchange of slaves, sugar, and goods.

Maroons

Communities of escaped slaves in the Caribbean and Americas, often living independently in remote areas.

Sugar Plantation

A large-scale agricultural estate where sugarcane is cultivated, often utilizing slave labor.

Social Darwinism

A controversial theory that applies the concept of natural selection to human societies.

Asiento

A contract granting rights to sell slaves to the Spanish colonies.

Privateer

A privately owned ship authorized to attack enemy vessels, often acting on behalf of a government.

Pan-Africanism

A worldwide movement aimed at strengthening bonds among all people of African descent.

Syncretism

The blending of different religious or cultural traditions.

Black Consciousness

A movement focusing on the awareness and pride of Black identity.

Colonization

The act of establishing control over a foreign territory and its people.

Survival of the fittest

A phrase often associated with Social Darwinism that suggests only the strongest individuals or societies will prevail.

Degeneration

The process of decline or deterioration in physical or moral qualities.

Indentured Labor

A system where individuals work for a specified number of years in exchange for passage to a new country.

Caribbean Islands

A group of islands located in the Caribbean Sea, divided into Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, and the Dutch Antilles.

Bartolome de las Casas

A Spanish Dominican friar who advocated for the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Americas.

Haitian Revolution

The successful anti-slavery and anti-colonial insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint Domingue.

Toussaint Louverture

A leader of the Haitian Revolution who became a symbol of freedom and resistance against oppression.

Jean-Jacque Dessalines

A leader in the Haitian Revolution who declared independence from France and became the first ruler of independent Haiti.

Rivers in the Slave Trade

Vital channels for transporting enslaved Africans to plantations; played a critical role in trade logistics.

Contract Labor

A system where laborers sign contracts committing to work for a certain period in exchange for wages and entitlements.

Acts of Resistance

Actions taken by enslaved people to assert their rights and resist oppression, including revolts, escape, and passive resistance.

Cultural Phenomenon of Chino Latino

Restaurants reflecting the fusion of Latin and Asian culinary traditions, illustrating multicultural influences.

Marcus Garvey

A political leader and activist who advocated for Black nationalism and the Pan-African movement.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World, following Christopher Columbus's voyages.

Encomienda

A system instituted by the Spanish crown in the 16th century that granted colonists authority over indigenous people, including labor and tribute.

Slave Society

A society where slavery is a fundamental institution, shaping economic, cultural, and social practices.

Indenture

A contractual agreement where individuals (often from Europe or Asia) worked for a set period in exchange for passage to the New World and basic necessities.

Creolization

The process of assimilation and blending of African, European, and indigenous cultures and languages in the Caribbean.

Negritude

A literary and ideological movement developed by francophone black intellectuals, emphasizing African culture and identity.

Diaspora

The dispersion of any people from their original homeland, often referring to the African diaspora resulting from slavery.

Triangular Trade

A transatlantic trading system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, involving the exchange of goods, slaves, and raw materials.

Asiento

The system for granting permission to trade slaves, particularly referring to the Spanish crown's agreement to allow British traders to sell enslaved Africans in the Americas.

Maroons

Communities of escaped enslaved people who established free settlements in the Caribbean and Americas.

Nitainos

Indigenous Taíno leaders in the Caribbean before European colonization.

What percentage of the Caribbean landmass does the Greater Antilles make up?

Approximately 90%.

Who were the first people to be enslaved in the Americas for plantation labor?

Indigenous peoples.

Name two significant diseases introduced by Europeans that decimated indigenous populations.

Smallpox and measles.

Who was Bartolomé de las Casas?

A Spanish Dominican friar who advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples and criticized Spanish colonization practices.

Approximately what percentage of enslaved Africans shipped to the Americas ended up in the Caribbean?

Approximately 90%.

Where did sugar cultivation originate?

Southeast Asia.

Who was Toussaint Louverture?

A former enslaved person who became a leader of the Haitian Revolution, known for his military strategies and diplomatic skills.

Who was Jean-Jacques Dessalines?

A general in the Haitian Revolution who declared Haitian independence and became the first ruler of the newly founded state.

What is the etymology of 'Haiti'?

The name comes from the indigenous Taíno language, meaning 'mountainous land'.

Aimé Césaire

A Martinican poet, playwright, and politician, known for his contributions to the Negritude movement and postcolonial literature.

Frantz Fanon

A psychiatrist and philosopher from Martinique, whose works addressed colonialism and the psychology of oppression, influencing social movements.

Marcus Garvey

A Jamaican political leader and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, key in promoting black nationalism and Pan-Africanism.