Main Idea:

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

Reading Check Questions (213-215)

1. What formed the islands of the West Indies?

Volcanic activity formed most of the islands of the West Indies, with the exception of a few flat islands, like the Bahamas, which were formed by coral deposits. The Volcanic Islands, such as Cuba and Hispaniola, are part of a chain that was formed millions of years ago by the movement of tectonic plates (and volcanic activity).

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2. What is the major industry in the West Indies?

Tourism and farming are both considered the most important economic industries in the West Indies and the Caribbean region. Many islands, from Cuba to Barbados, are popular cruise and resort destinations, their breathtaking beaches and rainforests drawing tourists from all over the world. Agriculture is crucial to many Caribbean nation inhabitants, as it imploys the majority of people.

To learn more about tourism in the Caribbean, click here

3. Region- What three archipelagos make up the West Indies?

The three archipelagos that make up the Caribbean region are the Bahamas (sometimes referred to as the similar Lucayan Archipelago), the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles. While both the Greater Antilles (which includes Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica) and the Lesser Antilles (which includes tons of smaller islands like St. Kitts, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago) were formed by volcanic activity and tectonic plates, the Bahamas are flat islands made of coral.

To learn more about the archipelagos in the Caribbean, click here

4. History- Name four groups who have influenced the culture of the Caribbean region.

Four ethinic groups that have heavily influenced the culture of Caribbean region are the Spanish, African people (slaves), Native Americans, English/Americans. During the age of discovery, Columbus, a Spanish explorer, arrived in the Bahamas and explored the West Indies, meeting and influencing the native people that already lived there. Today, much of the Caribbean culture, such as architecture, language, and food, has clearly been influenced by the Spanish. The culture of African slaves that had been brought to the islands after the European colonizations have also influenced the languages, food, music, and more, as did the Native Americans that lived there in ancient times, and, more recently, modern America, especially in terms of tourism. There have also been slight Dutch and French influences in some parts of the region, due to the multiple European colonizations.

To learn more about cultural influences in the Caribbean, click here

5. Government- How is Cuba different from every other country in the Western Hemisphere?

Cuba is the only country in the Western Hemisphere that has a communist government, led by dictator Fidel Castro, ever since he lead a revolution in 1959 that allowed him to take control of the nation. Cuba remained a communist country after the disbanding of the Soviet Union, and partially because of this, the United States has held a trade-band. Recently, however, Cuba is now open for American tourists to visit and explore. In fact, President Barack Obama and his family just took a trip there, and went to a baseball game.

To see a picture of US President Obama and Cuban President Castro attending a recent baseball game, click here

To read a brief history of the nation of Cuba, click here