Chapter
5
Latin America
Exploring the Caribbean
Vocabulary
| citizen | An individual with certain rights and responsibilities under a particular government |
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| commonwealth | A self-governing political unit with strong ties to a particular country |
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| communist | Having an economic system in which the government owns all large businesses and most of the country's land |
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| constitution | A statement of a country's basic laws and values |
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| Creole | A person, often of European and African descent, born in the Caribbean or other parts of the Americas, whose culture has strong French and African influence; a dialect spoken by Creoles |
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| dialect | A version of a language that is spoken in a particular region |
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| dictator | A ruler of a country who has complete power |
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| exile | A person who leaves or is forced to leave his or her homeland for another country because of political reasons | |
| illiterate | Unable to read or write |
Key People and Places
| Condado |
Sample
Essay Questions
1. Give and explain at least two examples of how Cuba's location near the United States has affected events in Cuba.
You should identify at least two of the following examples: After Cuba became independent of Spain, hotels were built for tourists from the United States. After Cuba became a communist country, many Cubans fled the county and settled in nearby Florida.
2. Compare and contrast the relationship of Cuba and Puerto Rico with the United States. How are they different? How are they similar?
Even though Cuba and Puerto Rico are both former Spanish colonies, they have much different relationships with the United States. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. Puerto Ricans are United States citizens who can freely travel between Puerto Rico and the United States. Cuba, on the other hand, is an independent country that has strained relations with the United States. There are many restrictions on travel between the two countries.
3. What are Puerto Rico's three choices for the future?
The choices for Puerto Rico are that it can remain a United States commonwealth, become a United States state, or become an independent county.
4. How have political conditions in Haiti affected the economy of the country over the past 50 years? How are things in Haiti changing today?
For most of the past 50 years, corrupt dictators have ruled Haiti. During this time, Haiti became the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Recently, a democratic government has been ruling Haiti. It is hoped that Haiti will become more prosperous as the government improves the economy.
