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Latin America Chapters 9-11 Landforms • The Andes Mountains – Part of a chain of mountain ranges that include the Rocky and Sierra Madre mountains of US and Mexico. – Many active volcanoes in region – Creates a barrier for travel inland • Highlands – Area in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil Plains • Contains rich soil for farming and grass for grazing livestock • Llanos of Colombia and Venezuela – Grassy, treeless areas used for livestock – Similar to the great plains of the US • Amazon River basin – – – – Found in Brazil Known as the Cerrado savannas Flat with moderate rainfall Still underdeveloped • Pampas of Argentina and Uruguay – Great area for maintaining cattle and wheat. Rivers • Latin America does not have an extensive network of rivers – Most areas border water however • The Orinoco River – Found mostly in Venezuela • Amazon River – Flows about 4,000 miles – Carries the most water to the ocean than any other river in the world. • Parana River – Origins in the Brazilian highlands Islands • The Caribbean Islands consist of three major groups: – The Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles • The Bahamas – Hundreds of islands spanning from Florida to Cuba. – Christopher Columbus landed here in search of new lands • The Greater Antilles- bigger islands – Include Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico • The Lesser Antilles- smaller islands – Divided into Windward and Leeward islands • Windward islands face winds • Leeward islands have a more sheltered position Resources • Minerals- abundant supply of gold, silver, iron, copper, tin, lead, and bauxite (aluminum ore) – Mined in South America and shipped throughout the world • Example: Jamaica used to be plantation economy, selling bananas and sugar until they mined bauxite and has raised their GDP. • Energy Resources – Plentiful oil, coal, natural gas, and uranium – Trinidad and Tobago has vast reserves of natural gas • Progressing the nation rapidly Climate • Climate Zones– Tropical Wet • Rainforests that contain over 2,500 types of trees and the world’s largest snakes, jaguars, and piranhas – Tropical Wet and Dry • Support savanna- large grasslands dotted with trees • Hot climates with seasonal rains – Semiarid • Dry with some rain – Deserts • Northern Mexico and much of the Peru coast • The Atacama desert is located in Chile Agriculture • Native peoples burned large quantities of forest for planting and diverted streams to irrigate these areas. – The process is called Slash-and-Burn – Method is still used today and is one reason the rainforests are shrinking rapidly. • Terraced Farming – Growing crops on hillsides or mountain slopes – Cut steps into the hills – Reduces soil erosion Urbanization • People are moving from rural to urban areas throughout Latin America. • In Argentina, Uruguay, and Venezuela, 90% of the population live in cities. • Why do people move to cities? – Better lives- more jobs, better pay – More food and clothing available • Push and Pull factors – Push factors= why people leave the rural areas • Poor medical care, poor education, low-paying jobs – Pull factors= why people move to the city Tourism • Growing industry in Latin America • Tourism Advantages: – Tourists spend money, bring job to area – Reveal the culture in a positive light • Tourism Disadvantages: – Resorts take up vital lands – Great strain on small communities – Tourist spots cost lots of money to the local government Mexico • Native groups, Aztecs and the Mayans lived there until Spanish Conquest, 1519, colonized the area. • Aztecs and Mayans were very advanced cultures before Spanish conquest. – Mixed population of Native and Spanish blood is called mestizo. Mexican Economy • Two main struggles in economy: – The gap between the rich and poor is very large – Mexico is attempting to modernize industry • Mexicans are moving to cities for better economic opportunities • Oil and Manufacturing – Mexico has a large oil reserve industry – Have helped to finance development – Maquiladoras are factories that assemble imported materials into finished products • NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement – Allows trade between Canada, US, and Mexico Mexican Challenges • Safety – Illegal drug cartels compete for control of the billion dollar industry – Drug cartels has hurt tourism and driven away foreign investment • Emigration – Mexicans leave their country in search of work – Money made in US is sent back to Mexico and helps stimulate local economies • Work and School – Mexico has high unemployment due to poor education and training for jobs Central America and the Caribbean • Central America is an Isthmus, a land bridge between North and South America. • Area is known as a crossroads of ideas, cultures, and old world civilizations (Mayans, Aztecs, etc) • The Mayans built many temples and cities in each Central American countries. – Each state was ruled by a god-king Central America and the Caribbean • Spain may have ruled Central America but the land was claimed by many European powers • After Columbus settled the region, European slave traders brought African slaves to work on plantations – European countries wanted the profits from the sugar trade – Each island had to fight for their independence • Most came by slave revolt Central America and the Caribbean • Culture: – Central America: mainly Catholic due to European settlers’ influence • Speak Spanish • Spanish altered way of life from bringing new crops to cutting down trees for animals to graze – The Caribbean: very mixed ancestry • Includes European and African ancestry • Catholic and Protestants – Santeria: African practices with Catholic elements – Voodoo and Rastafari also practiced Central America and the Caribbean • Economy – Most people are poor • Still due to colonialism (sugar plantations) – Farming sugar, bananas, citrus fruit is main exports • Most make their living from farming these – Panama Canal allows trade from either hemisphere pass to the other fairly quickly – Education and jobs for the population are concern South America • Divided into two main regions: Spanish-Speaking and Portuguese-Speaking South America. – French Guiana part of France – Suriname speaks Dutch • The Inca People – May have crossed from Siberia, to Alaska, and into South America. – Built very sophisticated society. – By the time the Spanish arrive, the Incan empire extended 2,500 miles – The Spanish came and brought new diseases and weapons South America Spanish Side • Like the American and French revolutions, South American countries sought freedom from Spain in the 1800s. – Two leaders for independence were Simon Bolivar (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia) and Jose de San Martin (Argentina, Chile, and Peru) • Two characteristics of these governments: – Oligarchy- ruled by a few people – Military rule South America Spanish Side • Economy – Most countries economy based upon agriculture and mining oil and minerals. – The gap between the rich and the poor reflects poverty and the failures to develop the lives of the majority of the population. – Economic Advantages: wide variety of products • Due to unique combo of landforms, resources, climate, and vegetation Brazil • Spain and Portugal reached an agreement about South American lands in the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas • Before Portuguese settle Brazil, area was home to 100s of tribes and groups estimated to be over 1 million – Portuguese tried to find silver and gold – Settled for clearing out forests and raising sugar plantations • Popular settlement due to sugar boom Brazil • Settlements and cities are found mainly on the coast and away from the interior rainforests – Slaves were brought over to work on large plantations – As a result many Brazilians are a mix of European, African, and native ancestry • Culture – Becoming a hot-bed for European immigrants – Speak Portuguese and are mainly practicing Catholics – Celebrate Carnival, which is a colorful festival to the music of Samba – Slums are called favelas- which are violent drug-ridden areas Brazil • Economy – Natural resources have helped make Brazil an industrial power – Power plants along Amazon and other rivers help power the country – Still a wide gap in between rich and poor – People are moving to cities but urbanization has been slow – People are also moving inland and away from the cities of the coast Latin America Issues • Rainforests – Important for cleansing the earth’s atmosphere, regulate climate, and provide shelter to thousands of animals – Poor farmers need the land for growing crops • Deforestation- cutting down and clearing out trees – The world needs the timber for population growth • Countries need the money – How do you advance society, but keep the earth healthy? Latin America Issues • Democratic Governments – Oligarchy is not democracy, ruled by a few – Junta- Military control of the government – Caudillos- Military dictators or political bosses • Can be elected by the people (wealthy elite) – Governments are reforming to make a constitutional governments • Also trying to increase women’s roles in politics