Download Latin America HistoryTest Study Guide

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History of Latin America Test Study Guide
VOCABULARY:
Indigenous- native
Chinampas- Aztec floating
islands used to farm
Conquistador- Spanish
Cortes (Aztec) and Pizarro
(Inca)
Viceroy- European born
(Peninsular) - rulers in
America
Criollo(Creoles)- Pure
European- born in the
Americas, so under the
Peninsulars in caste system
Mestizo- European and
Native mixed-blood- under
Creoles
Mullato- European and
African mixed-blood- very
poor, but still free
Terracing- Inca invention to
farm in the Andes
Mission- used to expand
Europe culture- lang/religion
Liberator- Creoles- Hidalgo
helped free Mexico, Bolivarmuch of South America.
L’Ouverture, Freed slave,
helped liberate Haiti
Caste- social system
Zapatista- “robin hood”guerilla warfare used to
protect poor Mexicans from
NAFTA
1. Describe the fall of the Aztec empire: most powerful civilization in central Mexico (modern day
Mexico-city). Aztecs controlled a large area around Tenochtitlan (their capital city, which was built on
an island. They were polytheistic and are known for their use of human sacrifice. They are also
known for their advanced technologies- one known as chinampas. These were floating islands
created to use for farming. This is an example of humans interacting with their geography. Their
language is Nahualt, which is still spoken today. Montezuma II was the Aztec leader in power when
Cortes arrive to conquer the land. Montezuma welcomed Cortes at first because he believed Cortes
was a god.
2. Describe the fall of the Inca Empire: The Inca Empire stretched along the western coast of South
America, through the Andes mountains. Their empire was centered at their capital in Cusco, Peru.
They were known for their expansive road system and terracing built on the Andes Mountains.
Terraces helped them farm in the rough terrain. Their language, Quechua, is still spoken, and
terraces are still used for farming. Machu Picchu is a famous example of Inca architecture. Pizarro
conquered the Inca while Atahualpa was ruling the empire (known as the Sapa Inca). Pizarro
captured Atahualpa, executed him, and eventually took the land for Spain.
3. Where was the Inca empire located? Along the Andes Mountains, the west coast of South America
4. What were some of the achievements of the Inca Empire? Terrace farming, network of roads
throughout the large empire
5. How did a small band of conquistadors manage to defeat such large and powerful civilizations as
the Incas and Aztecs (three things)? Disease, guns and other weapons, horses
6. What was the Columbian Exchange? It is the exchange of goods, ideas, diseases, agriculture, and
animals between the Old World (Europe) and the New World (the Americas). It also included the
African slave trade
Complete the table of goods and ideas exchanged as a result of the Columbian Exchange
TO THE NEW WORLD
TO EUROPE
Coffee, peaches, sugar, wheat
Cocoa, corn, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes
European diseases (flu, smallpox, measles)
Pigs, cows, horses
7. Why did Europeans bring African slaves to work on plantations and in mines in the Americas?
Millions of natives died from diseases, so Europeans looked to Africa for cheap labor- they were
skilled farmers and were used to the hot climate
8. What are the two main languages of Latin America? Spanish and Portuguese
9. What is the main religion of Latin America? Roman Catholic- brought from the Spanish
10. Complete the table:
L’Ouverture
Bolivar
Hidalgo
Haiti
Colombia, Venezuela,
Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama,
Peru
Mexico
Former slaved, freed by
owners, self-taught, major
leader of the slave revolts
in Saint Domingue (Haiti)
which is the only
successful slave revolt,
tricked by French and
taken captive, died in jail
before Haiti was freed
Creole, studied in Europe
and learned about other
recently democracies, born
in Venezuela, leader in
wars for independence in
South America from
Spanish rule, he is known
as “the Liberator” and is
sometimes called “George
Washington of South
America”, he wanted a
united South America
Creole, priest in Mexico,
known as the father of
Mexican independence,
led a peasant army (made
up of Mestizos and
Mullatos
Summary of events (accomplishments)
Country
Helped
Liberator
11. What happened to Cuba in 1959?
12. What was the Cuban missile crisis? Who, what, where, why, and when?
13. What type of government did Fidel Castro bring to Cuba?
14. What are the Zapatistas fighting for?
15. How do the Zapatistas feel about NAFTA?
16. Which group of people do the Zapatistas support? Where do they live?