Building Background Knowledge
The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island once known as Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. After Christopher Columbus discovered Hispaniola in 1492, the first Spanish settlements were built in the New World. The indigenous inhabitants were the Taino Indians who welcomed the Spanish Explorers. Beginning in 1503 the demands of sugarcane cultivation promoted the importation of African slaves. The Indian population died out by 1550. By the mid-1980’s approximately 75% percent of the island’s population was considered to be of African and Spanish decent. The Spanish Language dominates the country.
Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean Sea and is considered a part of Latin America. Benjamin Keen explains in A History of Latin America that the demand for black slave labor in the West Indies in the early 1500’s came as a result of the vanishing Indians and the growing development of sugar cane. It wasn’t until after the Spanish-American War ended in 1898 that Puerto Rico became autonomous and was also considered to be a part of the United States. They were granted citizenship in 1917. Furthermore, in 1952 Puerto Rico was given “commonwealth” status. According to Thomas Skidmore and Peter Smith this relationship maintains ambiguity. From 1967 to 1993 the percentage of votes in favor of the commonwealth position dropped from 60 to 48.4 percent. The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico share certain attributes: indigenous inhabitants, Spanish exploration, importation of African slaves, and modern racial diversity.
Prior to reading the literature I feel that it is important for teachers to discuss the meaning of diversity and the terminology associated with Latin America. Historically it was politically correct to categorize any Spanish speaking individual as Latin American or Spanish. It was after 1980 that the term Hispanic became the contemporary American way to describe any person who spoke Spanish as a first language, whose ancestors did, or even a person who had a Spanish surname, but may not have spoken the language. The Latin word for Hispanic (Hispanicus) means “of Spain.” Because of its broad translation, the term itself raises political conflict. At the time it was also more favorable to be recognized as Latino rather than Hispanic. Finally, the majority of Latin Americans today prefer to be called by their more specific nationality or background rather than a broad label. The real issue here is that unawareness can make people demonstrate prejudices. We must educate ourselves and celebrate diversity.
Vocabulary Development
Merriam – Webster Dictionary
Objective
Students will write the definitions and discuss the meanings of vocabulary words
These words will later help students in writing their autobiographies.
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1. immigrant (noun) - one that immigrates
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2. immigrate (verb) – come into a place and take up residence
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3. emigrant (noun) – one that emigrates
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4. emigrate (verb) – leave a country to settle elsewhere
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5. indigenous (adjective) – native to a particular region
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6. culture (noun)
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a. cultivation
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b. refinement of intellectual and artistic taste
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c. particular form or stage of civilization
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7. nationality (noun)
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a. national character
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b. membership in a nation
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c. political independence
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d. ethnic group
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8. ethnic (adjective) – relating to races or groups of people with common customs
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9. race (noun)
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a. family, tribe, people or nation of the same stock
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b. division of mankind based on hereditary traits
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10. custom (noun) – habitual course of action
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11. Latin America (noun) – the part of the Americas south of the US
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12. Hispanic (adjective) – of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain, Spain and Portugal, or Latin America
Geography Lesson
Objective
Students will locate and highlight the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico using their maps.
Keen’s A History of Latin America provides a clear map of Modern Caribbean Nations.
