The document is a study guide about the geography, climate, history, culture, industries, and current issues of the Caribbean region. It contains fill-in-the-blank and short answer questions about the various islands, countries, and territories of the Caribbean; their formation, climate patterns, indigenous and colonial populations, economies, cultural influences, and ongoing political and environmental challenges.

1. Name:_____________________________
The Caribbean Study Guide
Geographyand Climate
1. “The Caribbean”consistsof the CaribbeanSea,itsislandsand__________________________________.
2. The Caribbeanhasover___________________ islands,islets,reefsandcays.
3. The Caribbeanisseparatedintodifferentregionsorsubsections. Describe thembelow:
4. The geographyof the Caribbeanvaries. Describethe typesof islandsandhow theyare formed.
5. Brieflydescribethe climate of the Caribbean: _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
6. The Caribbeanhasa wetseason. Itis alsoknownas __________________________________________
a. How manyhurricanesmove throughthe Caribbeanayear?_______________________
b. Describe the effects:_____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
History of the Caribbean
7. Priorto Europeancontact, howmanynativeswere livinginthe Caribbean?_______________________
8. Who made firstcontact? Where?_________________________________________________________
9. What didhe nickname the islands?Why?___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
10. What isthe CaribbeanSeanamedfor? _____________________________________________________
Island Chain
Description
and examples
Type of
Island
Description

2. 11. Native Americanswoulddie off inthe Caribbean,yetthe populationwouldstill continue torise. Can
youexplainwhythe populationincreased? _________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
a. What percentage of Africanslavesendedupinthe Caribbean? How manyindividuals?
_______________________________________________________________________
b. What was the reasonforso many slaves?____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
12. Why doyou thinkthere were piratesinthe Caribbean? _______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
13. Tell me aboutsome famouspirates!
14. What’sthe deal withpirate flags?
15. Dispel the followingpirate myths:
a. Piratesmade people walkthe plank: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
b. Piratesoftenburiedtheirtreasure: _________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
16. In the 1800’s many Caribbeanislandcountrieswould_________________________________________
__________________________________ fromEuropeancountries.
Name of
Pirate
Description
Color of Flag
What it
represents?

3. Name:_____________________________
CaribbeanCulture
17. Today the populationof the Caribbeanisaround____________________________________________.
a. How manyof the 7,000 islandsare actuallyinhabited?_________________
b. ______________ percentof the populationisonthe islands of the GreaterAntilles.
18. Most people inthe Caribbeanare of ____________________________ descent.
a. ____________________________ isa termto describe the mixingof AfricanandEuropean
ethnicities.
19. The four countriesthathave the heaviestinfluence on language andculture inthe islandsare:
a. __________________________ b. __________________________
c. __________________________ d. __________________________
20. One Europeancustom practicedinthe islandsisthe celebrationof _____________________________.
a. Describe the celebration: _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
21. What iscreole? _______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
a. What isan example of Creole? ____________________________________________________
22. Describe twoAfricaninfluencedreligionspracticedinthe Caribbean:
23. List outa fewmajorcontributionstomusicthat come fromthe Caribbean:
a. AfricanInfluence:________________________________________________________________
b. SpanishInfluence: _______________________________________________________________
Religion
Description
Strange
Beliefs or
Customs

4. 24. What are some majorindustriesinthe Caribbean: ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
25. The largestindustry,byfar,is that of _________________________________.
a. Provide some quickfacts:
i. Moneyearned - ________________________________
ii. Numberof visitors - _____________________________
iii. Jobscreated - __________________________________
Today’s Issuesin the Caribbean
26. What isan embargo?___________________________________________________________________
a. Why have we embargoedCuba?____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
b. What isthe resultof the embargo?_________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
27. PuertoRico isa commonwealthof the U.S. What doesthat mean?______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
a. There isa splitopinioninPuertoRico. Whatdoeseach side want?
i. ________________________________________________________________________
ii. ________________________________________________________________________
b. What was interestingaboutthe 2012 referendum?____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
28. The Caribbeanissituatedalongthe ________________________________________________________
with________ active volcanoes.
a. Describe the eventsof:
i. Martinique,1902 - ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
ii. Haiti,2012 - _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
29. Many of us see the Caribbeanasan islandparadise,whatisthe realityformanyof these countries?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
30. Who wasNatalee Holloway? Whathappened?______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________