NB#14 Central America and

the Caribbean

The People• In Central America and the Caribbean, you

have a mixture of peoples.• You find indigenous, Mestizos, European,

and people of African descent throughout the area.

• This varied blend of people is mostly the result of European conquests

Culture: Language• Central America: Main language is Spanish,

and indigenous

• Caribbean Islands: mix of English, Spanish, French, and Dutch- depending on which European power conquered their islando Some islands mixed indigenous language with European

language

Culture: Religion• Central America: 4/5 people are Catholic

Christian

• Caribbean Islands: mostly a mix of Protestant Christian and Catholic Christian

Think Pair Share• How may only having an

elementary school education help a family, but hurt the overall economy of a country?

Culture: Education• Quality of education varies depending on

the country and the location (rural vs. city)• Most students are required to attend at

least elementary school, but not high school

Culture: Art• Natives produced the earlier art in the

regions: pottery, wood carvings, weaving… etc.

• Todays art is a mixture of European and native influence: music, dance, etc.

Culture: Family• Central America: Family is very important! It

usually decides your social status in the Latin American societies.

• Caribbean Islands: Family life is usually matriarchal- lead by the women of the family

Sports and Leisure• Baseball, basketball, volleyball, and soccer

are the most prominent sports in Latin America.

• In the Caribbean, baseball is very popular.