The Legacy of the The Legacy of the Columbian Exchange In Columbian Exchange In

the New World the New World The Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic

The Biggest Results of the The Biggest Results of the Columbian Exchange once the Columbian Exchange once the

Spanish left Latin AmericaSpanish left Latin America

1. Poverty- the poor (large % of pop) get poorer while the rich (small % of pop) get richer

2. Unstable governments and dictatorships-Cuba, Dominican Republic, Chile, Venezuela

3. Political Corruption- voting fraud, bribes4. Drug cartels5. Racial Inequality:

a. the white and lighter skin Latin Americans-more rights and opportunitiesb. Blacks, Natives and Mestizos (mixed) less rights and opportunities

The Key Ethnic/Race GroupsThe Key Ethnic/Race Groups

1. White European (Spanish, Portuguese)

2. Mestizo (mixed White Spaniard, Indian and African)

3. Mulatto (mixed white Spaniard and African)

4. Indian (pure Native Central or South American tribal descendent)

5. Black African (descended from African slaves)

Mr. G.’s Dominican Republic Mr. G.’s Dominican Republic Slide PresentationSlide Presentation

The proper Spanish name for the The proper Spanish name for the DR is DR is La Republica DominicanaLa Republica Dominicana

Where is the Dominican Republic?Where is the Dominican Republic?

                                                                                          

Location of the Dominican Republic is on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. About a one and half hour flight from Miami, Florida. The city of Santiago (Where I lived) is located at the red star. See Google Earth for more detail.

Map of the Dominican RepublicMap of the Dominican Republic

Results of the Columbian Results of the Columbian Exchange in the Dominican Exchange in the Dominican

RepublicRepublic

1492 to the 211492 to the 21stst century century

1. Destruction of Native Civilization1. Destruction of Native Civilization

• Columbus and his brothers founded the island-very cruel and corrupt

• The Smallpox epidemic and syphilis killed most of the Tainos (Arawaks)

• The rest were worked to death via slave labor or killed in war against the Spaniards

2. The Columbian exchange 2. The Columbian exchange introduced new foods and ways of introduced new foods and ways of

cooking to the world cooking to the world • The native Tainos

introduced BBQ to the world (barbacoa)

• Pineapples and Plantains were first found wild and grown in the DR

3. Religion3. Religion• The Spaniards introduced

Catholic Christianity• Mostly Roman

Catholic(85%), a few protestants today

• Some Haitians that live in the DR today practice voodoo (African roots)

4. African Influence4. African Influence

• The DR was the first place in the New World where slavery was introduced

• Although Dominicans tend to deny it, Africanisms are prevalent in Dominican culture (drumming and dancing), food [deep-frying, beans and rice, chivo (goat)], tropical gardening

5. The Spanish Language5. The Spanish Language

• Spanish• Dominicans speak a very

fast and informal type of Spanish

• Very little use of the formal you “Usted”, more use of the informal “tu” –even if you don’t know the person.

• Many educated people also speak some English

5. Poverty/Racism5. Poverty/Racism• 40% of Dominicans

today live in poverty• Most of those in poverty

are of darker skin• The darker skin you

have in the DR, the less status you have, although this is beginning to change

• The Spanish mercantilism system did not benefit the darker skin people (especially African slaves)

6. Race/culture mixing6. Race/culture mixing

• The majority (73%) of Dominicans are a mixed race (white Spaniard, black African (slavery), a little native Taino Indian)

Population and RacePopulation and Race

• Population: 8 million• 73% Mulatto (Mixed

black and white),• 16% white, pure Spanish

blood• 11% black (this also

includes Haitians that live in the DR)

• 1 million Dominicans live in the USA-mostly in Miami, New York City and Philadelphia

Dominican Dominican MulattosMulattos (73%) (73%)

Black Haitian Dominicans (11%)Black Haitian Dominicans (11%)

Other Facts About Life in Other Facts About Life in the Dominican Republicthe Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic-quick The Dominican Republic-quick facts about the climatefacts about the climate

• Tropical Climate (temperatures range from 55 F to 90 F)

• Summer is hotter and more humid. Especially during hurricane season

• Winter is much more comfortable and less humid-nights can drop into the 50s

• It can snow in the mountains at Pico Duarte (10,000 ft. elevation)

Snow in the tropics????Snow in the tropics????Pico Duarte at 10,000 ft-sure!!!Pico Duarte at 10,000 ft-sure!!!

The Dominican Republic-quick The Dominican Republic-quick facts about the climatefacts about the climate

• Duarte Peak (10,000 ft.-the highest point)

• The Cibao (a fertile valley -where most of the farming is done)

• Beaches-many are very beautiful- Cabarete, Sosua, Las Terrenas, Punta Cana, Boca Chica

The Dominican Republic-quick The Dominican Republic-quick facts about the economyfacts about the economy

• Produce-Sugar Cane, mangoes, bananas, rice, tobacco

• Coffee and cacao (cocoa)

• Manufacturing-textiles and clothing made in the industrial Free Zones (Gap, Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger and Timberland)

• Tourism• The Peso is the currency

$1=37 Pesos

The Constanza Valley- the “El The Constanza Valley- the “El Jardin” (The Garden) of the Jardin” (The Garden) of the

CaribbeanCaribbean

Dominican Money (Pesos)Dominican Money (Pesos)

The Dominican Republic-quick The Dominican Republic-quick facts about the governmentfacts about the government

• Democratic Republic• President • Congress (Senate and

House of Representatives)

• Supreme Court • National Police• Local Police departments

tend to be corrupt

President Fernandez

Policias DominicanosPolicias Dominicanos

Dictator Rafael Leonidas TrujilloDictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo

• Ruled the DR from 1930-1961

• Cruel dictator, killed anyone who opposed him (30,000 people executed)

• No voting-he was “El Jefe”-the chief or boss

TrujilloTrujillo

• Trujillo even changed the name of the capital city of Santo Domingo to Cuidad Trujillo (Trujillo City)

• He was assassinated by a group of men from Santiago (his hometown)

• The DR has since had a presidential democracy

Slides from around Slides from around Santiago and the Santiago and the

Dominican RepublicDominican Republic

Location of SantiagoLocation of Santiago

Arriving by AirArriving by Air

Landing at the Santiago AirportLanding at the Santiago Airport

Looking north over Santiago Looking north over Santiago towards the Cordillera towards the Cordillera

Septentrional MountainsSeptentrional Mountains

The Statue and flag atop the Highest The Statue and flag atop the Highest Mountain in the Caribbean-Pico Duarte Mountain in the Caribbean-Pico Duarte

(Duarte Peak)(Duarte Peak)

Caribe Tours Bus-a great way to Caribe Tours Bus-a great way to see the island without dealing see the island without dealing

with the crazy driverswith the crazy drivers

La Bella Terra MallLa Bella Terra Mall

The Food Court At Plaza The Food Court At Plaza Internacional (International Mall)Internacional (International Mall)

The Best Ice Cream I have ever The Best Ice Cream I have ever hadhad

And of course, like everywhere else And of course, like everywhere else in the world, there was a in the world, there was a

McDonald's... McDonald's...

Famous Santiago Landmark-The Famous Santiago Landmark-The “Monument of the Heroes”“Monument of the Heroes”

The Monument by dayThe Monument by day

An Upper Class Dominican HomeAn Upper Class Dominican Home

A Mansion in the Constanza ValleyA Mansion in the Constanza Valley

Middle Class Dominican HomeMiddle Class Dominican Home

A lower class Dominican HomeA lower class Dominican Home

Isla Dominican Gas StationIsla Dominican Gas Station

A Dominican ApartmentA Dominican Apartment

Inside a Dominican apartmentInside a Dominican apartment

Many Dominicans have water tanks Many Dominicans have water tanks on their roofs called “tinacos” to on their roofs called “tinacos” to

store water during power outagesstore water during power outages

We had an inverter hooked up to 8 car-sized We had an inverter hooked up to 8 car-sized batteries to power most of our appliances batteries to power most of our appliances during the frequent “apagones” or power during the frequent “apagones” or power

outagesoutages

Inverters convert battery power to AC power and can run most common tools and appliances, including microwaves, refrigerators, hand tools, televisions and computers.

If you were rich, you probably If you were rich, you probably owned one of these to give you owned one of these to give you power- a “planta” or generatorpower- a “planta” or generator

Downtown SantiagoDowntown Santiago

With “Fey” from the Christian Rap With “Fey” from the Christian Rap group “Virus”. Fey used to be one group “Virus”. Fey used to be one of the head drug lords in the barrioof the head drug lords in the barrio

Sosua BeachSosua Beach