Jessica Correia

April 28, 2015

HIS 345
Final Essay
(Prompt #2)
Rising From the Ashes
The complexity of the Caribbean countries come from a long line of violent history and
rich culture. Like any nations past it comes with heart ache, war, and unfair government
regimes. Though the history traces back to nearly four hundred years ago the modern era
Caribbean still holds close to the treacherous past that their ancestors once endured. Even in the
generations that live today they are reminded of the decolonization, gruesome dictators, and even
steadfast revolutions; all of these created how and why ordinary citizens thrived in the midst of
chaos in the twentieth century and how they have merged together to maintain the Caribbean
spirit. While the Caribbean may not be rich in wealth, their wealth in culture and community is
one to be admired. As the Caribbean people rose from the ashes from one battle after another
they continue to prosper in spirit and grow economically.
While the twentieth century citizens have not dealt with emancipation directly it still
plays a strong role in their culture today. Slavery was a treacherous economic system that early
Spanish and Europeans instilled in the Caribbeans very early on. By the late 1800s there was a
time of gradual emancipation where Europeans and other colonized groups attempted to
ameliorate slavery. One in which they attempted to make slavery not as bad. However, again
fear swept over the Spanish and Europeans as they saw power being taken from them and
planters went back to extreme violence (Turtis 294). There is a time period where it seems that
slaves take two steps towards freedom and then three steps back as the planters take back what
little freedom they have. It is stories like this that are told through their ancestors that create

such driven men and women to always seek their freedom. Liberty and freedom is instilled in
their aspirations for their community and themselves at very young ages. The history does not
die there in the early 1800s because its story is retold over and over again.
The Caribbean has always fought the struggle of race in their society. However, after the
emancipation there is a time where there is a character of independence where the movement is
argued to be race less. It was a time of multiracial and classes banding together to create a band
of brothers and make a form of unification (Ferrer 28). Again it was as if their society would
take two steps forward in progressing in modern thought only to counteract with another step
back. As scientific racism began to emerge arguing that by using phrenology and eugenics one
could scientifically prove that African Americans were not capable of being as smart as whites
(Ferrer 32). A race less movement is all of the sudden a very racist movement. Again Caribbean
citizens thrive as they learn from their past and overcome one obstacle after another at a very
slow pace. The battle to defend their race and culture as a whole. Fervently, the Caribbean
survived years of decolonization and attempting to shatter molds of racism.
With the economy at a great time of transition between slavery and industrialization; the
shed of slavery and the beginnings of equal rights, the people still had many more obstacles to
face. The struggle for independence. Americans attempted to set up capital for sugar plantations
in Cuba. However, the U.S. became worried as World War I began in the European nations and
the state of the Caribbeans was one that could falter. Cuba and other Caribbean nations of
course resisted because they craved independence but as the war grew to a head the Caribbean
nations knew that they needed United States involvement and support (Palmie and Scarano 530).
However, the United States did not see equality amongst their troops and Cuban troops. With
Cubas independence in everyones hand but their own they faced even more turmoil and

political division within their nation. However, these problems tended to arise from different
nationalist across the Caribbean. Augusto Cesar Sandino is a Nicaraguan nationalist who
implemented guerilla warfare, like many other nationalist during this time, against the marines as
a tactic to prove their worthiness in a society that is trying to newly establish oneself.
Unrest grew in the Caribbean with poverty and U.S. imperialism which led to leaders
taking a stand against unstable governments and economic problems, these leaders happen to be
dictators. Trujillo and Castro were two of the most well known dictators known to Caribbean
history. Trujillo in the Dominican Republic came to his power through force, assassinations, and
intimidations. Demanding his patriarchy of the Dominican he tended to be a very unpopular
figure amongst his citizens (Turtis 298). With Caribbeans resilient attitudes they take matters
into their own hands and after the revolution he grows so unpopular with his people that he
himself is assassinated.
Fidel Castro led a complex and trying time for Cubans in the mid 1900s. There is so
much confusion even the main character, Sonya in the graphic novel My Revolution did not
completely understand what was going on at the time (Lockpez Part II). Sonya struggles with
the decision, after seeing the reality of the Bay of Pigs, to ultimately leave behind everything for
freedom or to stay in Cuba where things were only bound to get worse for her (Lockpez Part III).
It displays a time of a completely divided government. The Cuban Missile Crisis did not help
this divide. Most modern era Caribbeans saw this upheaval as one where their own country has
little to say about their own fate. Most were even scared that the missiles would put an end to
their Revolution or even worse that the United States would invade their territory. Again Cuba
was divided so half of the people wanted this intense Revolution while others supported America
as President Kennedy implemented Operation Mongoose where the U.S. created a three step plan

to invade Cuba and ultimately destroy Castro and his regime, which turned out to not be so
successful.
A final example of the Caribbeans struggles and what they fought against was during the
fall of the Soviet Union in 1989 and the ending of the Cold War. Cuba and other nations had
relied on the Soviets for decades and because of this fall it created even more devastating times.
A famous devastating time was known as the Special Period where people were starving and the
economy fell to astonishing low records. While some Cubans fled during the Revolution the
ones who stayed behind and were left to reap the aftermath began to filter out as well. However,
some still remained. Rather the Cubans fled to America or stayed they are seen as resilient and
hearty for their choices and the pride that most keep instilled with them to be a Caribbean native.
Drawing to a close, Caribbean citizens have endured many traumas in their past. They
have endured the racism and discrimination of slavery, decolonization, economic troubles, and
selfish dictators. While it is hard to say that they rose victoriously to the top and now have no
more social upheaval, one can say that tremendous progress has been made. The harsh militant
dictators have stepped down and many nations have learned from their past mistakes. More
importantly with that progress they have come more united with their culture and pride for their
upbringings and past. They can sing songs of their peace, unity, and love alike with Bob Marley
catchy reggae tunes. With that it is a hopeful future for the Caribbean and their steadfast spirit
through it all.