1. Location & Definition of the Caribbean Region and its Diaspora

Question 1

Geographical definition of the caribbean is (2)

Answer 1

1) All the areas washed by the Caribbean Sea - excludes some territories like Barbados and Bermuda
2) Located between 0° and 23.5° N Latitude - this excludes some territories like Bahamas

Question 2

why “washed by the caribbean sea” cant define the caribbean

Answer 2

it excludes some territories like Barbados and Bermuda

Question 3

why “Located between 0° and 23.5° N Latitude” cant define the caribbean

Answer 3

this excludes some territories like Bahamas

Question 4

Geological definition of the caribbean is

Answer 4

all the territories found on the Caribbean plate, which experience common geological phenomena (earthquakes, volcanic activity) - excludes territories like Barbados, Bahamas, Guyana and much of Cuba.

Question 5

Historical definition of the caribbean

Answer 5

all the islands and territories colonised by European powers, resulting in a legacy of slavery, Asian immigration/indentureship.

• encompasses all historical practices; chattel slavery, encomienda
• includes territories excluded by geographical and geological definitions

Question 6

Political definition of the caribbean

Answer 6

Political definitions of the Caribbean refer to the

socio-economic and other groupings found in the region

The Caribbean has three main political systems namely:

1) independent states
2) associated states
3) colonial dependences/dependent territories

Question 7

Diasporic definition of the caribbean

Answer 7

Individuals who have migrated from the Caribbean and established communities within their host countries.
-examples in: London, Toronto, New York

Question 8

Usually, people’s location can be given with reference to some physical or geographical feature, such as water that surrounds them or a mountain range that separates them from another people. But sometimes

Answer 8

the society, culture or history of a people produce

a better definition of their location.

Question 9

Having knowledge of the Caribbean’s location fosters a

Answer 9

a better understanding of the diversity that co-exists with our shared Caribbean experiences

Question 10

There is no one way to define the Caribbean, however, the Caribbean is generally referred to as a

Answer 10

melting pot

Question 11

the “melting pot” concept refers to the

Answer 11

combination of a variety of cultures, people and experiences in the Caribbean region

Question 12

There are five ways by which we can define the Caribbean, these are

Answer 12

1) GEOGRAPHICAL CARIBBEAN
2) GEOLOGICAL CARIBBEAN
3) HISTORICAL CARIBBEAN
4) POLITICAL CARIBBEAN
5) CARIBBEAN DIASPORA

Question 13

islands that are not in the caribbean basin but are still caribbean islands

Answer 13

1) Belize is not in the Caribbean Basin, but is a large land mass in Central America and it is very much Caribbean.
2) Barbados and Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean and not the Caribbean Sea and
3) Guyana’s coast also borders the Atlantic Ocean.
4) Bermuda is also found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Question 14

A ‘plate ‘is a

Answer 14

subterranean feature that is a part of the Earth’s crust and on which land and oceans are found

Question 15

While the Caribbean Plate is a significant entity on which to build our conception of the Caribbean region, it does not include

Answer 15

1) Barbados,
2) Bahamas,
3) Guyana
4) much of Cuba.

Question 16

the major distinguishing factor that delimits the Caribbean region from Latin America In defining the Caribbean using historical criteria

Answer 16

the European influence looms larger than that of the indigenous peoples even though they were brought here later as indentured labourers.

Question 17

independent states are

Answer 17

former colonies of metropole countries which are now self-governing.
These are also known as sovereign states

These islands have chosen to govern their countries completely different from that of their colonial masters, namely democracy and communism,

Question 18

examples of independent states (15)

Answer 18

1) Antigua and Barbuda
2) Bahamas
3) Barbados
4) Belize,
5) Bermuda,
6) Cuba
7) Dominica
8) Dominican
9) Grenada
10) Haiti
11) Jamaica
12) St Kitts and Nevis
13) St Lucia
14) St Vincent and the Grenadines
15) Trinidad and Tobago

Question 19

associated states are

Answer 19

countries that are not independent but enjoy all the rights and privileges of the country that governs it

Question 20

eg of associated states

Answer 20

the former British colonies in the Eastern Caribbean (Antigua, Grenada, Dominica, St Vincent, St Lucia and St Christopher- Nevis-Anguilla) that from 1967 enjoyed a semi-independent political status: their defence and external affairs were handled by Britain, while they maintained control over their own constitution.

Over time the associated states became independent

Question 21

The name West Indies comes from

Answer 21

a misunderstanding on the part of Columbus and others of his time

‘The Indies’ was a term long used by Europeans to describe the islands to the east of India (mainly what is present-day Indonesia)

When it was realized that Columbus had stumbled on islands that were not the sought-for spice islands of the East, a distinction was drawn by simply putting ‘east’ or ‘west’ before the term ‘the Indies’.

Thus, the East Indies and West Indies came into being and have been a source of confusion ever since

Today there is no country or group of countries one can identify as the East Indies; the term has fallen into disuse.

However, the West Indies remains very much in use, as an alternative for the Caribbean when referring specifically to the islands rather than the mainland territories of Guyana and Belize

Question 22

An archipelago is

Answer 22

a chain of islands that is usually closely related at a subterranean level.

Question 23

eg of archipelagos

Answer 23

1) the Lesser Antilles forms a chain of small islands that exhibit similar volcanic features.
2) The Greater Antilles is an older archipelago of much larger islands.
3) The Bahamas is also an archipelago

Question 24

water bodies include

Answer 24

lakes and inland seas as well as gulfs and oceans.

Question 25

Water bodies found in the Caribbean its environs are (3)

Answer 25

the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean

Question 26

An isthmus is a

Answer 26

narrow neck of land separating two water bodies,

and thus the Pacific Ocean is also considered to be part of the ‘environs’ of the Caribbean

Question 27

It is possible to identify subregions in the caribbean because

Answer 27

the region is so large.

The Greater Antilles are the larger islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, while

the Lesser Antilles subregion is further subdivided into the Windward and Leeward Islands.

Question 28

Colonial dependent states are

Answer 28

countries who are governed by another countries but do not enjoy the rights and privileges enjoyed by the associated states

Question 29

eg of colonial dependent states (4)

Answer 29

Turks and Caicos Islands,

Bermuda,

Cayman Islands and

British Virgin Islands.

Question 30

The word ‘diaspora’ is

Answer 30

Greek in origin and means ‘to scatter.’

Question 31

In Caribbean Studies, the Diasporic Caribbean refers to

Answer 31

to a group of people who reside in another geographical location for instance people of Caribbean ancestry who reside in European metropolitan counties, North America, Canada among others who share an emotional connection to their homeland

Question 32

Migration refers to

Answer 32

the movement of people from one region to another

Question 33

The nomadic Amerindians often referred to as the ‘Indigenous Peoples’ migrated from

Answer 33

Asia to settle in North, Central and South America

Question 34

Being nomads, means they

Answer 34

moved about in groups or tribes searching for food, and pasture lands for their herds in the face of harsh winters

Question 35

When the world experienced the last Ice Age, where large sections of the earth including land, seas and oceans were covered with ice. The mongoloid peoples of East Central Asia migrated from

Answer 35

their homeland across the Bering Strait (narrow land bridge) which connects Siberia with Alaska in North America.

Question 36

Greater Antilles include (4)

Answer 36

1) Cuba,
2) Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic),
3) Jamaica
4) Puerto Rico

Question 37

Lesser Antilles include (11)

Answer 37

Windward islands:

1) Dominica,
2) Guadeloupe
3) Grenada
4) Martinique
5) St. Vincent
6) St. Lucia

Leeward islands:

1) Anguilla
2) Antigua and Barbuda
3) Montserrat
4) St. Kitts-Nevis
5) Virgin islands

Question 38

Netherland Antilles include (6)

Answer 38

Aruba, 
Bonaire, 
Curacao (ABC"islands); 
Saint Marten, 
Saba, 
St. Eustatius

Question 39

Mainland Territories in the caribbean are (4)

Answer 39

Belize
Cayenne (French Guyana)
Guyana,
Suriname

Question 40

The Spanish through the encomienda system and other means exterminated the original inhabitants. The British introduced the plantation system and with it, the

Answer 40

enslavement of Africans and the indentureship of the Chinese and East Indians

Question 41

why is Guyana considered to be Caribbean although it borders the Atlantic Ocean rather than the Caribbean Basin

Answer 41

because the social and cultural experiences of its people are similar to those of the people of the islands in the Caribbean Sea

Question 42

label the water bodies – the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of

Mexico, the Pacific Ocean in the caribbean

Answer 42

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Question 43

label the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles

Answer 43

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Question 44

label the isthmus of Panama

Answer 44

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Question 45

The lands of the Caribbean are said to be formed from

Answer 45

earth movements called Plate Tectonics

Question 46

How was the Caribbean Islands formed?

Answer 46

In the Caribbean about 140 million years ago the smaller Caribbean plate moved under the North American plate to be re-melted in the earth’s mantle causing volcanic activities and consequently the formation of the Greater and Lesser Antilles.

The islands in this Caribbean chain are believed to be the tops of submerged mountains linked to the Andean mountain range in Central America,

There is a rich variety of landscape features in the Caribbean as a result of the structure of the islands and mainland’s.

All the mainland territories of the region have high mountain ranges, large rivers and vast areas of lowland.

Question 47

With the exception of Cuba, all the continental islands of the Greater Antilles are

Answer 47

mountainous

Cuba has wide elevated plains (plateaus) over 1000m in altitude

Question 48

caribbean islands with volcanoes

Answer 48

St Vincent and Montserrat

Question 49

Volcanic islands have

Answer 49

a good water supply and deep fertile soils

Question 50

describe the Limestone islands in the caribbean (3)

Answer 50

The Limestone islands are built up from the skeletal remains of coral polyps in the warm Caribbean Sea

These islands are flat with no large rivers and very few lakes.

Soils on limestone rock lack depth and are mostly infertile

Question 51

caribbean limestone islands

Answer 51

Barbados
Bahamas

Barbados are raised high above sea level
Bahamas are just at sea level

Question 52

The American Mediterranean Sea is

Answer 52

the combined water bodies of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Question 53

The American Mediterranean Sea includes

Answer 53

Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, which separate the American Mediterranean from the Atlantic Ocean

Question 54

The four sub-regions of the Caribbean

Answer 54

The Lesser Antilles
The Greater Antilles
The Mainland Territories
Other territories (Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands)

Question 55

The Lesser Antilles is made up what type of islands?

Answer 55

the three smaller islands groups: the Windward Islands, the Leeward Islands and the Leeward Antilles.

Question 56

The Lesser Antilles is a double arc of islands that stretch from

Answer 56

the Virgin Islands to Trinidad

Question 57

The Greater Antilles refers to

Answer 57

the four largest islands in the Caribbean

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

Question 58

The Leeward Islands is called leeward because

Answer 58

they are away from the wind

Question 59

The Windward Islands are formed from

Answer 59

volcanic rock in the north–south chain of the southern section of the Lesser Antilles

Question 60

Figure 4.4 Map of the Windward Islands

Answer 60

chegg

Question 61

Countries such as Mexico, Honduras, Panama or Nicaragua may be perceived by West Indian peoples as

Answer 61

belonging to the Latin American mainland, and not the Caribbean at all, even though they may have a coast on the Caribbean Sea, and this perception may be shared by the peoples of those countries themselves.

Question 62

in recent times international agreements such as the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) and regional organisations such as the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) include what countries as part of the ‘Wider Caribbean’ region?

Answer 62

Mexico, Honduras, Panama and Nicaragua

Question 63

why is Mexico, Honduras, Panama or Nicaragua considered to be part of the wider caribbean

Answer 63

when outsiders view the region, or when we who are inside the Caribbean need to assume a broad or holistic view, perhaps in trade and economic cooperation initiatives, we adopt something closely resembling a geographic conception of the region.

Question 64

Seismic activity refers to

Answer 64

Earth movements that impact and influence the surface of the Earth.

Question 65

Earthquakes, volcanic activity and mountain building are examples of

Answer 65

seismic or tectonic activities that occur along plate margins as they move and interact with other plates.

Question 66

Physical geography can only define and locate a space in terms of neutral expanses of landforms and water bodies, or geologically in terms of the Caribbean Plate. Thus trying to delimit

Answer 66

Caribbean society and culture using physical geography criteria results in obvious anomalies

Question 67

From the geographic and geologic conceptions of the Caribbean a picture emerges of a ‘Wider Caribbean’ region that is built on

Answer 67

the natural, physical features of the Earth’s crust.

Question 68

this view of the wider Caribbean is akin to that of

Answer 68

contemporary global and regional organizations, and even that of the tourist.

Question 69

people in the Caribbean islands are somewhat reluctant to embrace only geography in defining the Caribbean.

They feel that geography is important but not as important as

Answer 69

history

Question 70

Defining and locating ‘space’ only according to geography and geology does not

Answer 70

acknowledge the importance of human activities and relationships in demarcating a region

Question 71

although Barbados, Guyana and The Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean (therefore not geographically a part of the caribbean) the historical processes that shaped these territories were similar/identical – to those experienced on the islands of the Caribbean Sea. These historical processes include:

Answer 71

occupation of the area by the indigenous people;

European exploration and settlement;

genocide and war waged against the indigenes;

African slavery in all and Indian indentureship in some;

colonialism;

socioeconomic developments related to the plantation;

independence, and the forging of a free society based on these experiences

Question 72

what is the only part of Central America that is normally included in the Caribbean region.

Answer 72

Belize

Question 73

The study of history involves

Answer 73

describing and analysing significant events, trends and processes over time, but it also examines how such phenomena are experienced differently in different locales and contexts

Question 74

Although the entire sweep of Central and South America underwent the historical experiences mentioned above, the Caribbean reflects

Answer 74

the legacy of a particular combination of European nations who were intruders into the original Spanish Main.

While the European heritage of the majority of Latin American countries is rooted in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), that of the countries of the Caribbean encompasses the varied legacies of Britain, France, Holland and (to a lesser extent) Denmark overlaid on an earlier Spanish foundation.

Question 75

when talking about the historical process we are defining regions according to the

Answer 75

legacy of Europeans.

Question 76

in defining the Caribbean using historical criteria, the European influence looms larger than that of

Answer 76

the indigenous peoples,, enslaved and indentured labourers.

Question 77

Latin America and the Caribbean are divided by differences in

Answer 77

the culture of their colonial masters rather than by their shared history.

Question 78

Governance, trade and migration under colonialism occurred in the Caribbean as if

Answer 78

geographical proximity did not exist and only the colonial ties were important.

Question 79

the West Indies the historical and cultural ties which people acknowledge as more important than geography in defining their region are aligned mainly along what?

Answer 79

along the differences wrought by the European legacy – one of the most evident and immediate being language

Question 80

the most evident and immediate European legacy was

Answer 80

language

Question 81

CARICOM stands for

Answer 81

Caribbean Community and Common Market

Question 82

CARICOM has caused what to weaken?

Answer 82

cultural and linguistic ties between some Caribbean territories and their metropoles have weakened

Question 83

The metropole or metropolitan country is

Answer 83

the country which dominates or has dominated a territory politically and/or culturally (often the former colonial power)

Question 84

what represents the best possible guide in defining the Caribbean

Answer 84

history

Question 85

what is the best reason that delimits the Caribbean from its Latin American counterparts

Answer 85

The legacies of the British, French, Spanish, Dutch and Danes in the relatively small area of the Caribbean, compared to the overwhelming presence of the Spanish and Portuguese in Central and South America

Question 86

The term Caribbean is an

Answer 86

elusive or abstract concept and there is no one specific definition that can be applied to it.

The definition can be from the political, geographical, geological, historical or diasporic perspectives.

Question 87

The Caribbean is located:

Answer 87

a) Southeast of the Gulf of Mexico
(b) Southeast of North American mainland
(c) East of Central America
(d) North of South America

Question 88

what is the Largest island by size and population

Answer 88

Cuba

Question 89

Puerto Rico is a Associated state of

Answer 89

the United States

Question 90

the Lesser Antilles is an arc of

Answer 90

islands that are located between the Greater Antilles (starting just off Puerto Rico) and the continent of South America

Question 91

Lesser Antilles is formed mainly from

Answer 91

volcanic eruptions

Question 92

Caribbean countries in the Atlantic Ocean are

Answer 92

Barbados and the Bahamas

Question 93

Archipelago located in the Atlantic is

Answer 93

The Bahamas

Question 94

The most easternmost island in the Caribbean is

Answer 94

Barbados

Question 95

Countries that make up the Lucayan Archipelago

Answer 95

The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos

Question 96

Smallest inhabited island in the Caribbean

Answer 96

Sint Marteen

Question 97

Country with the largest natural asphalt in the Caribbean

Answer 97

Trinidad

Question 98

Largest English-speaking Island

Answer 98

Jamaica

Question 99

Largest Spanish speaking Island

Answer 99

Cuba

Question 100

Largest French speaking country

Answer 100

Haiti

Question 101

Country with the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean

Answer 101

Belize (largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere)

Question 102

The island of Montserrat was formed as a result of

Answer 102

the geological feature called plate tectonics.

The destructive plate boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate in a west-south-westerly direction led to the emergence of the volcanic island Montserrat, which is an island of the Antilles Island Arc.

Question 103

The historical Caribbean refers to the countries that have shared experiences of

Answer 103

European colonisation, slavery, indentureship and the plantation system.

Question 104

The four leading colonial powers in the Caribbean were

Answer 104

Spain, Holland, France and Britain

Other colonial powers that claimed various territories in the region at different times were Denmark, Sweden and Portugal.

Question 105

Colonisation is

Answer 105

the settlement of a group of people who seek to take control of territories.

It usually involves large-scale immigration of people to a ‘new’ location and the expansion of their civilisation and culture into this area

Question 106

Indentureship is

Answer 106

a system where a labourer was contracted to work for a stipulated period of time, in exchange for passage and subsistence.

At the end of this term he was given land, cash and also had the option to return to his homeland.

The first group of indentured East Indians (over 230 Indians) arrived in Guyana on May 5th, 1838, after the abolishment of slavery in the British Caribbean.

Question 107

Encomienda system is

Answer 107

a system under which natives of conquered lands were given to an explorer or conquistador by the Spanish Crown.

The objective was to guarantee economic and political order in the areas conquered by the Spanish.

It was a system designed to control and regulate all aspects of American Indian life.

Question 108

what is the reason that the languages, cultural practices, religions and economic activities of Caribbean territories and states reflect those of their colonial powers

Answer 108

Countries that experienced colonisation were influenced by their colonisers’ cultural traits

Question 109

Caribbean territories colonised by the colonial power of Spain

Answer 109

The Spanish empire initially claimed all of the Caribbean and most of Latin America.

The influence of Spanish culture is most strongly felt in Cuba, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico

Question 110

Caribbean territories colonised by the colonial power of Britain

Answer 110

Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Bermuda, St Kitts, The Bahamas, British Guiana, British Honduras, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Tortola, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Virgin Islands

Question 111

Caribbean territories colonised by the colonial power of France

Answer 111

Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique, Haiti, St Barthélemy, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Martin (northern half), St Vincent

Question 112

Caribbean territories colonised by the colonial power of Holland

Answer 112

The Netherland Antilles (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius, and St Martin (southern half)), Tortola

Question 113

Caribbean territories colonised by the colonial power of United States (US colonisation came later than European)

Answer 113

Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Cuba

Question 114

geographical definition is The most important definition of the Caribbean because

Answer 114

it serves the practical function of locating the Caribbean

Question 115

The Dutch, Spanish, English and French colonized the Caribbean between the 1500s and 1800s and because of this

Answer 115

the Caribbean countries developed different identifies, customs, beliefs and practices:

Question 116

Dutch Caribbean Countries

Answer 116

Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and Suriname

Question 117

Plantation systems led to

Answer 117

the decimation of the indigenous people by the mid 1500s, the introduction of African slaves (mid 1500s- early 1800s) and the arrival of Asians in the post emancipation period (Chinese and Indians)

Question 118

The historical definition is important because it will

Answer 118

allow countries such as Guyana, Belize, Suriname and the Bahamas to be defined as Caribbean due to their similar historical experiences with other Caribbean countries

Question 119

The historical experiences of the Caribbean will explain why

Answer 119

the region is now not collectively called the “West Indies” as it was in the past.

Question 120

The term “West Indies” is almost used extensively to refer to

Answer 120

the British and former British possessions in the Caribbean

Question 121

Colonial dependencies are

Answer 121

countries that are not independent and enjoy the rights and privileges of the country that governs them.

They are:

• the territories of Great Britain – Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos;
• the territories of the Netherlands – Netherland Antilles; -the territories of the United States – Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands; and
• the territories of France – Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Martinique, St Barthélemy

Question 122

Politically, Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana are not Caribbean countries although they are located in the Caribbean.

This is because

Answer 122

in the 1950s they became Overseas Departments of France.

The effect of this is that they are extensions of France in the Caribbean.

Question 123

what can be considered the British West Indies.

Answer 123

The British Virgins Islands, The Cayman Islands, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos islands are British Colonies. They can be considered the British West Indies.

Question 124

The Independent English Caribbean Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia are

Answer 124

commonwealth Countries and can be referred to as the Anglo-phone Caribbean because they are independent

Question 125

The Independent Spanish Caribbean are

Answer 125

Cuba and the Dominican Republic

Question 126

The Diasporic definition could suggest that the Caribbean is

Answer 126

all over the world

Question 127

The Commonwealth Caribbean refers those

Answer 127

former colonies of Britain that have a shared history of colonialism, slavery, indentureship and independence.

Also called the Anglophone Caribbean, these countries are part of the global group of countries called the Commonwealth of Nations, which is largely made up of territories of the former British Empire.

Question 128

A republic is a

Answer 128

form of governance where the head of state is not a monarch but a president.

Question 129

both communism and socialism are theories of governance and society.
They advocate

Answer 129

public ownership of the means of production, which means that the state owns and runs agriculture and industry, as well as all public services.

Question 130

difference between socialism and communism

Answer 130

Socialism emphasises distribution of resources based on one’s abilities and deeds, while communism is based on distribution according to needs

Question 131

The official name of Guyana (formerly British Guiana) is

Answer 131

the Co-operative Republic of Guyana

Question 132

the Co-operative Republic of Guyana constitution is based on

Answer 132

a socialist transformation of the institutions of the country.

The principle of cooperativism through which this will be accomplished envisages members of the society eventually owning and sharing in the means of production.

This socialist/communist orientation has in the past incurred the disapproval of the United States, leading to intrigues and political interference in order to destabilise the regimes of both countries

Question 133

Haiti was the first country in the Caribbean to achieve independence through revolution in 1804, and has been described since then as

Answer 133

the Black Republic

Question 134

Haiti’s form of government

Answer 134

Its form of government has ranged over its long history from revolutionary empire through dictatorship and American protection to (recently) a fragile democracy

Question 135

Some countries have preferred to retain stronger ties with the metropolitan country.

For example, Barbados, although independent and a parliamentary democracy, still has

Answer 135

the British sovereign as the official head of state, as do many other former British colonies.

Question 136

the countries of the English-speaking Caribbean have long been members of

Answer 136

the Commonwealth

All are independent but most continue to recognise the British monarch as the head of state (represented by a Governor General).

Question 137

the only islands in the English-speaking Caribbean that are republic are

Answer 137

Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and the Commonwealth of Dominica but they continue to be members of the Commonwealth

Question 138

Commonwealth is

Answer 138

a worldwide group of territories that were once part of the British Empire

Question 139

Dutch colonies are

Answer 139

Dutch colonies Curaçao, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten

Question 140

the five self-governing territories of the Dutch Antilles

Answer 140

Dutch colonies Curaçao, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten

Question 141

British and French dependencies in the Caribbean

Answer 141

Britain too has colonies in the Caribbean.

Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Cayman Islands and Bermuda are still colonies of Britain.

In contrast, the French Caribbean territories are not colonies at all, but an integral part of the operations of France.

Cayenne (formerly known as French Guiana), Guadeloupe, Martinique, and the smaller French islands, all belong to a département of France (the Département d’Outre-Mer: DOM or overseas department), meaning that they function as an overseas part of France. St Martin, occupying only half an island, is administered through Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe itself is an archipelago including the islands of Marie Galante, La Désirade and Iles des Saintes.

Question 142

A département is a

Answer 142

unit of local government similar to a country or parish.

Question 143

explain the political state of Puerto Rico

Answer 143

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a free state in association with the United States of America.

It is not fully independent and is described by the United States as an unincorporated territory, like the US Virgin Islands.

It has internal self-government and is a ‘free’ state in that it has a legal identity in international law

Puerto Ricans and US Virgin Islanders are citizens of the United States but they cannot vote in US elections. However, they do not pay taxes to the US government and they receive unique access and facilities denied citizens of other countries.

Foreign affairs are under the control of the United States.

Question 144

difference between free state and colony

Answer 144

a ‘free’ state means that it has a legal identity in international law while a colony is considered to be part of the territory of the metropolitan country

Question 145

The term colony describes a

Answer 145

territory owned and administered by a metropolitan country – historically designated the mother country.

Question 146

colonies differ according to

Answer 146

how much autonomy or freedom they have in controlling their affairs

Question 147

explain the laws in a colonial country

Answer 147

in a colony all the laws, regulations and procedures must be in accordance with those of the metropolitan country.

Even if it is self-governing, its laws cannot run counter to those of the colonial power.

Question 148

to be a citizen in a colony often means that there is constant

Answer 148

tension and ongoing debate about continuing in a historically dependent relationship with a European country.

Question 149

is there an advantage to being apart of the European colony?

Answer 149

Since many independent Caribbean countries are struggling with poverty, crime and unemployment, the protective link with Europe seems advantageous and so there is an ambivalence about seeking independence and joining CARICOM.

At the same time, citizens are well aware that conditions change and that the European metropolitan countries may be required by the European Union (EU) to abandon their colonies in order to continue with EU membership.

Question 150

An offshore haven is a

Answer 150

country (often an island) where taxes are low and which provides large companies and wealthy individuals with the opportunity to safeguard their money and thus avoid paying taxes on the mainland

Question 151

Cultural assimilation refers to

Answer 151

the incorporation of a group of colonised people or migrants into the dominant culture of the metropolitan or host country.

Question 152

Acculturation refers to

Answer 152

the process whereby one culture profoundly influences another.

Question 153

the present political entities in the Caribbean evolved from

Answer 153

their historic association with Europe and later on with the United States.

Their status, such as dependency or département, arises from different theories about colonialism

Question 154

While Britain was prepared to teach us its customs and ways of life, helping us to develop in the image of the ‘mother country’, there was a line that kept us apart.

We see this, for example, in how

Answer 154

in how citizenship was granted and how colonies were graduated into dependent existence.

British citizenship was a temporary arrangement granted only until the colony was graduated to independent status.

For example, Montserratians are British citizens today but they are not Britons – and they can never become Britons; they remain Montserratians even though they have British citizenship.

But they could become independent, if they so choose.

Question 155

example of the issue of citizenship in the Caribbean

Answer 155

caribbean person born in Martinique who is French, to the Puerto Rican who is a US citizen but cannot vote in US elections,

British Overseas Citizens who are regarded quite differently from British citizens

Question 156

Ethnicity’ refers to

Answer 156

your membership in cultural groups such as racial, religious, language, gender and even national groups

Question 157

all the people of the Caribbean are transplanted peoples, the exception being

Answer 157

the Amerindians

Question 158

The three aspects of caribbean diaspora

Answer 158

• Individuals or groups from the region who have migrated to other areas outside of the Caribbean, but still consider their original country as home.
• Individuals and groups who have a connection to the region in general (natives, descendants or some other affiliation), and are influential and committed to its economic development (as opposed to assuming a specifically nationalistic approach to development focused on their home territory).
• Descendants of people from the region who have been born outside the Caribbean and yet identify themselves based on the first generation’s heritage.