Search: History

This course will explore the history of the Caribbean region from the arrival of the first Europeans through the end of colonialism, a period of nearly 500 years. Focusing on the cultural interactions that took place between Amerindians, Africans, and Europeans (as well as Indians and Chinese), the course will see in microcosm many of the themes of colonialism, creolization, and independence movements. Among the topics that will be covered are plantation society, the environment, race relations and slavery, labor migration, gender relations, technological innovation, the Haitian uprising, and state-building.

History of the American environment and the ways in which different cultural groups have perceived, used, managed, and conserved it from colonial times to the present. Cultures include American Indians and European and African Americans. Natural resources development includes gathering-hunting-fishing; farming, mining, ranching, forestry, and urbanization. Changes in attitudes and behaviors toward nature and past and present conservation and environmental movements are also examined.