The Cool Caribbean Region with a Magnificent Map and Quality Questions

by: Caitlin C.

March 29. 2016

Red Group: D2B3

Homework Questions and Answers

Main Idea:

The islands of the West Indies rely on tourism to support their economies.

Reading Check Questions:

What formed the islands of the West Indies?: Volcanoes formed the islands of the West Indies. When you look at the islands of the West Indies, you are really looking at the tops of mountians. Many West Indian islands are part of an underwater chain of mountains formed by volcanoes. A typical volcananic island has central highlands ringed by costal plains. The volcanic soil in the highlands is rich.

What is the major industry of the West Indies?: Tourism and farming are the most important economic activities in the West Indies. A warm, sunny climate and beautiful beaches attract millions of tourists each year. Tourism is the region's major industry. Airlines and cruise ships make regular stops at different islands.

Recalling Facts Questions:

Question: 2. Region- What three archipelagos make up the West Indies?

Answer: 2. The three archipelagos that make up the West Indies are the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The Caribbean has been around for thousands of years. It was discovered by Comlumbus beacuse he called the tribe there the "Caribs" and that is where the name Caribbean comes from.

Question: 3. History- Name four groups who have influenced the culture of the Caribbean region.

Answer: 3. The four groups that have influenced the culture of the Caribbean region are the Spaniards, the French, the English and the Dutch. They founded colonies, or overseas settlements, on many of the islands. They found the soilo and climate perfect for growing sugarcane. By the mid-1600s, most Native Americans had died from European diseases and harsh treatment. The Europeans then brought enslaved Africans to work on sugar plantations. When the slave trade ended in the early 1800s, plantation ownersstill in need of workers brought them from Asia, particulary India. The Asians agreed to work a set number of years in return for free travel to the West Indies.

Question: 4. How is Cuba different from every other country in the Western Hemisphere?

Answer: 4. Cuba is different from every other country in the Western Hemisphere because in 1959, Castro led a revolution that took control of the government. He set up a communist state and turned to the Soviet Union for support. Cuba is a communist state led by a dictator, President Fidel Castro. Cuba won its independence from Spain in 1898. The country had a democratic government, although military leaders sometimes seized power.