BEFORE YOU WATCH: Pre-Colonial Caribbean

Before you watch

While you watch

1. What were the two major moments of migrations to the Caribbean islands and when did these take place?
2. Dr. Hofman states that the soil has to be opened like a book in order to learn about these early Caribbean peoples. What types of information can archaeologists learn by doing this?
3. What were belief systems like in the early period of migration? How did these beliefs change in the later periods?
4. 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?
5. How did the indigenous Caribbean peoples help the Spanish and what occurred as a result of this help?
6. Who were the Kalinago and where did they settle?

After you watch

1. How does this video help you explain the development of different societies in the Americas and how these societies changed over time?
2. In the video, Dr. Hofman states that 1492 marks “the beginning of the true globalizing world.” What evidence does she give to support this statement, and do you agree with her? Explain your reasoning.
3. How does the history of the pre-colonial Caribbean support, extend, or challenge what you’ve learned about networks and communities in this unit?