The Caribbean is a region that has been at the heart of world history and global development for centuries. Despite its small geographic size, it is the lynchpin of the Atlantic economy. Further, through a series of migrations, Caribbean people are represented in most of the major cities of the West, and have impacted the histories of Britain, Canada, and the United States, as well as places throughout Europe and Latin America.

The Caribbean History Reader provides a thorough and up-to-date overview of Caribbean history from the pre-Columbian era to the present. It brings together a range of classic and innovative articles and primary sources, to create an introduction to Caribbean political, economic, social and cultural currents, providing an important first reference point to scholars and students alike.

"An extraordinary tool for teaching the Caribbean from pre-1492 to the present! Historian Nicola Foote expertly combines concise introductions, written and visual sources, and pioneering analyses by leading scholars to present the key themes of Caribbean history, with a special emphasis on encounters, migration, labor, and politics. This volume will enable readers and students to discover the astonishing diversity and resourcefulness of the Caribbean people over several centuries."

Aline Helg, author of Our Rightful Share: The Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality, 1886-1912 and Liberty and Equality in Caribbean Colombia, 1770-1835

Nicola Foote is Assistant Professor of Latin American History at Florida Gulf Coast University. She is the co-editor of Military Struggle and Identity Formation in Latin America.