PRE-COLONIAL CARIBEAN

• What were the two major moments of migrations to the Caribbean islands and when did these take place?

  • Central America during the 5000 BCE
  • South America during the 500 BCE
• What were belief systems like in the early period of migration? How did these beliefs change in the later periods?

  early migration periods saw belief systems rooted in animism and polytheism, while later periods witnessed the rise of monotheistic religions like Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, which spread through trade and conquest, reshaping existing beliefs
• How do we know that there were continued contacts and exchanges between islands and between the Caribbean islands and the mainland of Central and South America in the pre-colonial period?

  • Archaeological evidence such as artifacts, trade goods, and cultural similarities, as well as linguistic and genetic studies, indicate continued contacts and exchanges between islands and between the Caribbean islands and the mainland of Central and South America in the pre-colonial period.
• How did the indigenous Caribbean peoples help the Spanish and what occurred as a result of this help?

  The indigenous Caribbeans helped the Spanish by serving as translators, providing guidance, and exchanging their knowledge. However, the Spanish enslaved them, so they could do their labor
• Who were the Kalinago and where did they settle?

  The Kalinago’s were an indigenous group who resisted Spanish colonialism. They settled in the Lesser Antilles
• Explain the development of different societies in the Americas and how these societies changed over time.

  Societies in the Americas developed diverse cultures and civilizations, including the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Inca, and various indigenous groups. Over time, these societies evolved through agricultural advancements, trade networks, warfare, and cultural exchanges, leading to changes in social structure, governance, and technology
• How does the history of the pre-colonial Caribbean support, extend, or challenge what you've learned about networks and communities in this unit?

  The history of the pre-colonial Caribbean highlights the interconnectedness of networks and communities through trade, migration, and cultural diffusion. It supports the idea that societies in the Caribbean were part of broader networks that shaped their development, challenging notions of isolation and emphasizing the significance of cross-cultural interactions in shaping the region's history