HIST 250Introduction to the Caribbean

3 credits · History · Penn State

A survey course exploring the emergence and historical evolution of the modern Caribbean. This course will explore the evolution of the Caribbean region from the eve of the arrival of Columbus to the 21st century. It will explore Indigenous societies prior to the arrival of Columbus and the interactions that lead to their destruction and the consolidation of European colonial empires. We will explore the coercive labor systems that emerged in the region including indentureship, Indigenous enslavement, transportation of Europeans, the establishment of African slavery, and the establishment of the plantation system that defined the region until the 20th century using both free and unfree labor to maintain its dominance in these island societies. Themes examined will include revolutions in Haiti and Cuba, the struggle for independence, slavery and racial hierarchy, the rise of U.S. neo-colonialism and hegemonic control in the region, nationalism, tourism, and the economic underdevelopment that defines the Caribbean until today.