The Caribbean History Reader

Despite its small geographic size, the Caribbean region has been at the heart of world history for centuries. The location of early encounters between the Old and New Worlds, the Caribbean became the lynchpin of the Atlantic economy, essential to the development of European empires and global capitalism. The twentieth century saw Cold War rivalries focused on the region, and the emergence of postcolonial political philosophies that resonated far beyond the Caribbean's boundaries.

The Caribbean History Reader provides a thorough and up-to-date overview of Caribbean history from the pre-Columbian era to the present. It brings together a range of classic and innovative articles and primary sources to create an introduction to Caribbean political, economic, social and cultural currents.

Featuring coverage of English, Spanish, French, Danish and Dutch-speaking territories, the reader highlights the Caribbean's diversity. Each chapter opens with an introduction by the editor that contextualizes the articles and primary sources that follow. Topics covered include:

The pre-Columbian Caribbean and indigenous societies

Slavery, slave resistance, and emancipation

The Haitian Revolution and its impact

U.S. interventions in the Caribbean

Labor movements

Race, class, and identity

The dictatorships of Trujillo and Duvalier

Immigration and the Caribbean diaspora

Postcolonial state formation

With articles from new and established researchers, The Caribbean History Reader provides an important first reference point to scholars and students alike.

Nicola Foote is Assistant Professor of Latin American History at Florida Gulf Coast University.