Unit 4: Haiti and the DR

Overview:

What happened after Columbus landed on the Island of Hispaniola in 1482? Why is it that Haiti, which continues to go through seemingly endless tragedies, is so much more impoverished than its neighbor? Haiti was once the richest colony in the world, so how is it that the Dominican Republic has come to have less deforestation, fewer malnourished children, fewer cases of AIDs and a functioning democracy compared to Haiti? This unit can be incorporated after the first three units on Haiti. The first few activities that are centered on more recent events in Haiti can be used as an opening unit as well. Overall the purpose of this unit is to explore the history of two societies on the same island to see what consequences colonialism, environment, language, identity and leadership had on the future of each. Based on these case studied, students will try to figure out what it is that a society needs to succeed.

Essential Questions:

1. Why did the political, economic, and ecological histories of the two countries on the Island of Hispaniola unfold so differently?

2. What are the historical roots of Haiti’s poverty?

3. Did Trujillo do anything good for the Dominican Republic?

4. What relationship does the Dominican Republic and Haiti have today?

Final Assessment:

Factors of Difference Essay - 

What are the most significant factors that resulted in the stark differences between the Dominican Republic and Haiti today?

Students will answer the question above by synthesizing all of this information that they have learned about the history, society, politics, economy and environmental factors that have contributed to the divergent past and futures of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.