BEFORE YOU WATCH: Decolonization and the Cold War - Through a Caribbean Lens

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.

Before you watch

Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch.

While you watch

What was colonialism like in the Caribbean during the second half of the twentieth century?
Why did the Cuban Revolution start, and why did Castro align himself with the Soviet Union?
How did Puerto Ricans resist their status as a territory under US control?
How has Puerto Rico’s status as a territory (rather than a state) affected people living on the island?
How did other nations in the Caribbean learn from the example of the successful Cuban Revolution?

After you watch

Using evidence from this video, compare the ways in which the United States and the Soviet Union sought to maintain influence over the course of the Cold War.
People in the Caribbean were resisting a different sort of colonialism than most of the other examples you have encountered so far. Do you think the story of the Caribbean’s encounter with the Cold War and decolonization is different than it was for people in Africa and Asia? Why or why not?

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch. Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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