Myths and realities of Caribbean history / Basil A. Reid

Object Details

Author

Reid, Basil A. 1961-

Contents

Myth 1. Caribbean history started with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 -- Myth 2. The Arawaks and Caribs were the two major groups in the precolonial Caribbean -- Myth 3. Columbus met Arawaks in the northern Caribbean -- Myth 4. The natives encountered by Christopher Columbus in the northern Caribbean migrated from South America -- Myth 5. The Arawaks were the first potters and farmers to have settled in the Caribbean -- Myth 6. The Ciboneys lived in western Cuba at the time of Spanish contact -- Myth 7. The Island-Caribs were cannnibals -- Myth 8. All the Amerindians migrating from South America to the Caribbean island-hopped from the continent to the Lesser and Greater Antilles -- Myth 9. The Spanish introduced syphilis into the Caribbean and the new world -- Myth 10. Christopher Columbus wrote the version of his "Diario" (diary) that we use today -- Myth 11. The Spanish colonists brought "civilization" to native societies in the Caribbean

Summary

This book seeks to debunk eleven popular and prevalent myths about Caribbean history. Using archaeological evidence, it corrects many previous misconceptions promulgated by history books and oral tradition as they specifically relate to the pre-Colonial and European-contact periods. It informs popular audiences, as well as scholars, about the current state of archaeological/historical research in the Caribbean Basin and asserts the value of that research in fostering a better understanding of the region's past. Contrary to popular belief, the history of the Caribbean did not begin with the arrival of Europeans in 1492. It actually started 7,000 years ago with the infusion of Archaic groups from South America and the successive migrations of other peoples from Central America for about 2,000 years thereafter. In addition to discussing this rich cultural diversity of the Antillean past, Myths and Realities of Caribbean History debates the misuse of terms such as "Arawak" and "Ciboneys," and the validity of Carib cannibalism allegations. -- From the publisher.

2009

©2009

Type

Books

History

History (form)

Physical description

xiv, 154 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Place

Caribbean Area

Karibik

Caribbean region

Smithsonian Libraries

Topic

15.85 history of America

15.38 archaeology of the non-Western world

Geschichtsbild

Irrtum

Präkolumbische Zeit

Historiography

Geschiedenis (vorm)

Präkolumbianische Zeit

History

Errors, inventions, etc

Record ID

siris_sil_925904

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0