No other part of the world has been shaped so completely as the Caribbean by the two institutions of European colonialism and plantation slavery.  The long drawn out demise of each during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries constitutes the underlying theme of this course.  This narrative is far from straightforward, as Caribbean history, like its geography, is highly fractured.  The course gives approximately equal emphasis to Anglophone, Hispanophone, and Francophone territories, and to political, economic, and cultural developments.

Course objectives: 1) to provide an understanding of the making of the contemporary Caribbean, and to familiarize students with the main topics and debates in the region's history since 1800  2) to develop students’ ability to analyze critically historical problems and to debate the causes of historical change  3) to improve students’ writing skills.

Requirements:    1. Map quiz (Jan. 29); 10% of final grade.
                            2. Three exams (Feb. 12, Mar. 12; May 2); each 20% of final grade.
                            3. Term paper (due at last class, Apr. 23); 30% of final grade; 10 pages;
                               topic chosen by student in conjunction with professor.                             

The UF Library has one of the best Caribbean collections (books, manuscripts, newspapers, and microfilm) anywhere; students are encouraged to take full advantage of this world-class resource when preparing term papers.  A portion of the grade for term papers is allotted to correct word-usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Since writing to a deadline is an essential skill to acquire, and it is unfair to give some students more time than others, late submission of term papers will be penalized.  Students who miss an exam will be expected to provide a doctor’s certificate.

Course texts:  Photocopied package, from Target Copy, 1412 W. University Ave; G. Heuman, The Caribbean, available from campus bookshop, etc.  Students are expected to attend all classes, having read carefully the reading assignments for that session.  Readings are indicated (in brackets) in the course outline.

Recommended Reading: Other good introductory texts include: Barry Higman, Concise History of the Caribbean, Knight & Palmer, The Modern Caribbean, S. Mintz, Caribbean Contours and Caribbean Transformations, Mimi Sheller, Consuming the Caribbean, and F. Knight, The Caribbean.  The following texts might prove helpful when choosing term paper topics: D. Lowenthal, Caribbean Societies; R. Delson, Readings in Caribbean History and Economics; G. Lewis, Growth of the Modern West Indies; L. Pérez, Cuba; R. Lawless, Haiti: a Research Handbook.  Suggested bibliography for possible term paper topics will be be found at (click). An excellent source for exploring the full range of modern Caribbean material in the library is this library guide.  

Other: Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the University’s honesty policy regarding cheating and use of copyrighted materials; and University grading policy.  Those requesting classroom accommodation due to a disability must register with the Dean of Students Office (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drp/) and should see me at the beginning of semester.  Graduates taking the course as LAH 5475 do an extra piece of written work chosen in consultation with the professor.

      1 The making of the colonial Caribbean.  The map; colonialism and slavery to 1800
            (Heuman, ch.5-6)

      2 Ending slavery/Decolonization, I: The Haitian Revolution.  The creation of Haiti (click) and its
            international impact; 19th century Haiti.
            (e-book: Geggus, Haitian Revolutionary Studies [click link], ch.1: read for Tues. week 2; Heuman, ch.7)

      3 Ending slavery, II, Abolitionism; and III, The Spanish Caribbean.  Competing explanations of the antislavery movement
            (Heuman, ch.8); the growth and demise of Hispanic slavery (Montejo)

      4  Decolonization, II: the Spanish Caribbean.  Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico

    Map Quiz (Jan. 29)

    First Exam (Feb. 12)   

      6 The Morant Bay Rising
             (Mintz (ii); Heuman ch.9-11)        

      7 20th Century Trends.  Migration, the world wars, the Depression, industry, tourism; U.S. foreign policy
           (Heuman ch.13)

      8 Race and Black consciousness movements.  Race and color; Négritude, Garveyism, Rastafari 
            (Hoetink; Chevannes; Heuman ch.12)

    10 Decolonization III: the non-Hispanic Caribbean.  The British and French colonies, 1930s-60s.  Politics in Trinidad calypso
            (Bolland; Heuman ch.14)

    Second Exam (Mar. 19)   

11/14 Caribbean Nations.  Haiti, the French Caribbean, Trinidad & Guyana, Cuba, Puerto Rico
            (Pérez Stable; Heuman ch.15-17)

    15  Economic Problems of the Caribbean.  Agriculture, industry, tourism 
            (Taylor: Heuman ch.16)

    16  Summing Up.                                                                                                        Term Paper due, final class, April 23.

    Final Exam, Thurs., May 2, 12.30pm

SLAVE EMANCIPATION	DECOLONIZATION	ECONOMIC CHANGE
1794 France ends slavery  1802 France restores slavery	1804 Haitian independence	Destruction in Haiti and emigration    stimulates sugar & coffee    production in BWI & SpWI
1808 Br & US slave trades end  1815-30 Dutch & French slave    trades end	1821 Dominican Republic    independent for a few weeks	1815+ sugar prices begin long    downward trend  1820s Cuba overtakes Jamaica
1833/38 slavery in BWI ends		Labor crisis for BWI estates  Peasant production expands
1848 France & Denmark    abolish slavery	1844 Dominican Republic ends    Haitian rule	1840s first Indian indentured    servants  1847 BWI lose protected market
1860s Cuban slave trade ends	1861-65 Dominican Republic    returns to Spanish rule
1873 slavery ends in PuertoRico	1868-78 Cuban Ten Years War	1870s sugar develops in DR
1880/86 Cuban slavery ends		1880s banana exports begin
	1895-98 Cuban War of  Independence  1902 Cuban Independence	1902 Brussels Convention reduces    beet sugar competition
		1900-20 Elite tourism: winter    havens for the wealthy
	1915-34 U.S. occupies Haiti   & DR (1916-24);   and (1917) buys Danish Virgin Is.	1910-19 oil in Trinidad & Curaçao;    bauxite in Guianas
	1930s BWI riots: trade unions     & political parties formed  1946 self-rule BWI begins  1952 PR commonwealth status  1957-59 Cuban Revolution  1962-83 BWI independence  1975 Suriname independence	1920-40 cruise ship tourism  1929-40 Great Depression  1947+ industrialisation PR & BWI  1950+ massive outmigration  1950+ airline tourism  1960+ mass-market tourism             government sector jobs  1970+ sugar declines outside Cuba    & DR

HOMEPAGE