Week 1
The Caribbean
Readings (Download Packet)
Haiti Notebook #1 - We Have Dared to Be Free 1804 Books
The Origins of Negro Slavery (Ch 1 of Capitalism and Slavery) by Eric Williams
Haitian Revolution and Internationalism
Tuesday 11.7, 6:30PM ET
In 1804, Haiti shook the world. The Haitian people had overthrown slavery and colonialism, daring to charter a new path forward for their people. This revolution reverberated across nations and people, signaling to oppressed people across the world that liberation is not only a dream, but a reality. As a new and liberated nation, Haiti not only inspired countless other revolts across the Caribbean, but financially supported freedom fighters like Simon Bolivar in their anti-colonial struggles. Hundreds of years later, the Haitian Revolution continues to inspire and mobilize many to turn the dream of liberation into a reality.
Colonialism, Capitalism, and The Monroe Doctrine
Thursday 11.2, 6:30PM ET
The European empires had divided up the Caribbean, fighting for their right to exploit each country’s natural resources and people. With the establishment of monocrop agriculture and plantations, European nations from Englaind to Spain reaped proverbial wealth from sugarcane and tobacco crop plantations. The Caribbean held the key to expansive wealth and economic development, and the U.S. wanted a slice of the pie.
