Hispaniola (focus on the D.R.)

The Carribbean (Greater Antilles)

Multiple Choice

Who was the first European explorer to land in the Carribbean, and encounter the Taínos?

• Marco Polo

• Pizzaro

• Hernan Cortes

• Christopher Columbus

Multiple Choice

The island of Hispaniola refers to....

• Puerto Rico

• Jamaica

• Haiti & the Dominican Republic

• Cuba

Hispaniola

• Christopher Columbus landed on Hispaniola on December 5, 1492 and named it La Isla Española, "The Spanish Island," which was eventually Anglicized to Hispaniola. 

• The island is the second largest island of the West Indies, with an area of 29,418 square miles (76,192 square km). To its west is Cuba, southwest is Jamaica, and Puerto Rico is to the east.

• In 1665, France began to colonize the western part of the island. In 1697, Spain formally ceded the western third of the island to France (what would become Haiti)

The Dominican Republic (D.R)

• ¹⁴⁹⁶ - Spaniards set up first Spanish colony in Western hemisphere at Santo Domingo, which subsequently serves as capital of all Spanish colonies in America (still capital today).

• 1821 - Uprising against Spanish rules is followed by brief independence. The following year, Haitian President Jean-Pierre Boyer marches his troops into Santo Domingo and annexes it.

• 1844 - Boyer overthrown; Santo Domingo declares its independence and becomes the Dominican Republic.

Multiple Choice

__________ is the most popular sport in the D.R., and produces some of the world's best players.

• Fútbol (Soccer)

• Baseball

• Basketball

• Cricket

Baseball in the D.R.

• Baseball is the Dominican Republic’s favorite sport. For Dominicans, “pelota”–as we call it here–is more than a sport.

• Over the years, more than 65 players have been selected as MLB All-Stars, including Manny Ramirez, Juan Marichal, Vladimir Guerrero, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Pedro Martínez, Sammy Sosa, Alfonso Soriano, and Adrian Beltre to name a few.

• It’s estimated that Dominicans earn roughly $400 million USD annually in the MLB. Players in minor leagues earn another $200 million. A lot of this money makes it back to the DR (as of 2016).

--Dominican culture is a mixture of the cultures of Spaniard colonists, African slaves, and Taíno natives. European, African, and Taíno cultural elements are most prominent in Dominican food, family structure, religion, and music.

-- El Carnival de la Vega: this carnival began as a religious activity to celebrate the triumph of good over evil and has recently morphed into a celebration of Dominican independence.