CARIBBEAN STUDIES

PAST PAPER
REVIEW
2009

QUESTION ONE
Explain what is meant by the following
terms:
Plural society
Mestizo
dougla

RESPONSE

A plural society is one in which there are

several distinct racial/ethnic groups who
interact with each other, but keep distinct
lines between them in fundamental areas.
Mestizo was the name given to
individuals of European and Amerindian
heritage
Dougla refers to an individual who is
mixed with African and East Indian
ancestry.

QUESTION TWO

Define the term soil erosion.

RESPONSE

The continuous removal of the top

layer of soil from the surface of the
land, whether by the action of the
wind, water, gravity, earth movements
or by mankind.

QUESTION THREE

Describe TWO
contributed to
Caribbean

processes that have

soil erosion in the

RESPONSE

Landslides, flooding, hurricanes,

extreme wave action
Deforestation in places like Haiti could
be a major cause of soil erosion.

QUESTION FOUR

Name TWO groups of indentured

labourers who were brought to the
Caribbean after emancipation in 1838.

RESPONSE

East Indians
Chinese

QUESTION FIVE

Give TWO reasons why EACH group of

indentured labourers were brought to
the Caribbean.

RESPONSE

The search for the cheapest supply of

labour
The shortage or scarcity of labour in
some colonies
The deliberate use of indentured
immigrants to frustrate the formerly
enslaved.

QUESTION SIX

Explain what is meant by the term the

family as a social institution.

RESPONSE

This refers to the primary social unit

which socialises the infant and growing
young person in the morals, values and
practices of the basic human unit and
the wider society as a whole.

QUESTION SEVEN

Outline TWO reasons why many

Caribbean family forms were considered
dysfunctional by colonial authorities.

RESPONSE

The nuclear family was seen as the

norm and the colonial authorities did
not regard Caribbean families, such s
those with single parents, or extended
families as proper forms
These families were matrifocal as in
Africa and this offended the sense of
male superiority held by colonial
authorities and the belief in male
supremacy in the European household.

QUESTION EIGHT

Describe Two ways in which immigrant

labour from the Caribbean has
impacted on the economies of Europe
and North America.

RESPONSE

Caribbean migrants become

consumers in the host economies and
so further contribute to the economies
Migrant labour provides these
countries with relatively cheap labour,
especially in the manual, menial jobs
which natives do not wish to perform.

QUESTION NINE

Describe One way in which Cuban

immigrants have influenced policy in
North America.

RESPONSE

The powerful Cuban lobby in Florida

has had a direct impact on legislation,
regulating legal and illegal migration
from Cuba to the US.
IT has also
served as a powerful pressure group
that has affected governance and
voting in the U.S.

QUESTION TEN

Define the term per capita income.

RESPONSE

Per capita income is the total income

earned from goods and services
produced by a country in one year
divided by the total population for that
country in that year.

QUESTION ELEVEN

Explain ONE way in which levels of

income is a better indicator of
development than per capita income.

RESPONSE

Levels of income is a better indicator of

development because levels of income
speaks to categories of income of a
variety of individuals such as teachers,
lawyers, construction workers. These
categories can be used to indicate the
growth levels in an economy especially
when these levels of income are rising.

QUESTION TWELVE

Define the term popular movement

RESPONSE

A popular movement is one that is

initiated by the ideas of the masses, or
was developed for the masses. It can
have local or international appeal.

QUESTION THIRTEEN

Describe Two ways in which a named

popular movement in the Caribbean has
contributed to national identity.

RESPONSE

Rastafarianism has created a sense of

black consciousness
Rastafarianism has contributed to our
rejection of colonial/European rule.

QUESTION FOURTEEN

Explain what is meant by the mutual

advantage concept of social justice.

RESPONSE

Refers to the social contract that exists

between the state and its citizens,
whether written or unwritten.
The
state is expected to protect the rights
of its citizens in so far as the citizens
are expected to obey the laws and
statutes of the state.

QUESTION FIFTEEN

Distinguish between prejudice and

discrimination.

RESPONSE

Prejudice is born of emotion, it is an

attitude, a strong belief that is personal
and subjective. Discrimination is action
oriented and involves action that is
directed against an individual or group.
The difference between the two is that
prejudice does not move beyond the
realm of belief and thus inflicts no
physical harm on the person or group
targeted.

QUESTION SIXTEEN

Define the term mass media.

RESPONSE

The mass media refers to all those

channels
which
communicate
messages
to
large
audiences
simultaneously. These channels can be
placed in two categories the print
media and the electronic media.`

QUESTION SEVENTEEN

Explain ONE way in which the

Caribbean mass media has hindered
the
promotion
of
a
Caribbean
entertainment industry

RESPONSE

The mass media in the Caribbean

engages in the broadcast of foreign
entertainment, thereby promoting
foreign values and crowding out local
entertainment
The mass media only portrays
caribbean artistes when they are
recognized by international music
labels e.g. Sean Paul, Rihanna

QUESTION EIGHTEEN

Explain One way in which the mass

media has assisted in the promotion of
Caribbean
entertainment
internationally.

RESPONSE

Engaging
in
the
promotion
of
entertainment through advertising and
the broadcast of live concerts.

QUESTION NINETEEN

Explain the term pan africanism.

RESPONSE

Pan Africanism is an ideology which

regards Africa and African people as a
unit and it thus promotes the
unification of African people and the
glorification of the african past.

QUESTION TWENTY

Give one reason why some interest

groups in the Caribbean opposed Pan
Africanism.

RESPONSE

The white planter merchant class was

the main opposition group who saw the
education and enlightenment of the
former enslaved as
maintaining
colonialism.

QUESTION 21

State ONE way in which Pan

Africanists attempted to unite people
of the African diaspora.

RESPONSE

Through
organizing
pan-African
conferences and newspapers which
promoted
the
idea
of
African
unification.

ESSAY
QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1

Examine
THREE
measures
that
Caribbean countries can implement to
minimize the danger posed to coral
reefs in the region. (20 marks)

RESPONSE

Educating individuals and groups such as

fishermen, farmers hoteliers and even
tourists would be part of the effort to
increase awareness about the importance of
reefs and to encourage all to protect them.

Governments have established and should

continue to establish marine-protected zones
around important coastal regions inhabited
by coral species and fish as the official stance
or policy in the fight to guard the reefs.

RESPONSE

Laws should be passed to protect the

shoreline and to establish activities
that would be viewed as criminal and
against the environment. Such laws
would be against pollution of the seas
and would guard against activities such
as trawling, a method of fishing that
can damage the reef and alter its
environment.

RESPONSE

With legislation in place, marine

officers would be empowered to
protect the coastline and be watchful
of cruise ships and large yachts, that
have been noted to damage the reefs.

RESPONSE

Governments could adopt a regional

approach to the issue in an effort to
provide a central policy. This would
allow for a united stance against
criminal and negligent activities that
damage the reefs. Governments could
share intelligence of the issue and
benefit from a collective aproach.

QUESTION 2

Examine THREE ways in which the

justice system, as a social institution,
impacts on society and culture.

RESPONSE

Note that the impact of the system in

individual territories has been
immense, positive and has brought
about far-reaching benefits.
Highlight as wellthe short- comings of
the system.

RESPONSE

Answers to include things such as:

Unfair trials
Acts of discrimination, based on race,
gender, colour and age
Loop-holes in the system which enables
wealthy persons to escape punishments
Positive implementation of the CCJ.
Positive is moving towards a moral
approach of examining human rights
abuses etc.

QUESTION 3

Using examples from the Caribbean,

describe the importance of EACH of the
following concepts:

1. economic development
2. political development
3. social political
(20 marks)

RESPONSE

Ecnomic development students are

expected to define this concept as well
as to show how improvements in other
areas of society would not be possible
without this form of development.

QUESTION 4

Describe THREE ways in which

discrimination against women hinders
development in the region. (20 marks)

RESPONSE

The concept of development includes

the increase in productivity in society
and therefore society must make full
use of its female and male citizens.
When women are prevented from
taking part in the workforce, a key
impact would be the reduction of
poverty.

RESPONSE

Gender discrimination leads to lack of

leadership skills and lack of knowledge
that
would
contribute
to
the
advancement of society.

QUESTION 5

Account for the changing role that

race, colour and ethnic affiliation play
in Caribbean society and culture.
(30 marks)

RESPONSE
Can be argued from TWO sides:
On one hand you can state that race,
colour and ethnicity continue to
dominate interactions in society.
On the other hand, you can state that
with the coming of Independence,
persons `````````

QUESTION 6
There is no single Caribbean culture.
Do you agree? Provide arguments and
examples to support your answer.

QUESTION 7
The ultimate goal of CARICOM is to
institute a single government for
CARICOM member states.
If this goal becomes a reality, discuss the
ways in which this development may
help OR hinder the movement towards
Caribbean integration.

QUESTION 8
Tourism has advanced development in
the Caribbean.
Present arguments for AND against this
statement.