chapter 9. a. new cultures ◦ 1. mayas & aztecs established civilizations in mexico ◦ 2....
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INTRODUCTION TO LATIN & SOUTH AMERICA
CHAPTER 9
A. New Cultures◦ 1. Mayas & Aztecs established civilizations in
Mexico◦ 2. Incas conquered territory in South America◦ 3. After Columbus landed in 1492, Spanish
explorers, conquistadors, took over much of the land in Latin and South America
◦ 4. cultural convergence (merging of cultures) occurred here between the Natives, Europeans (Spanish & Portuguese), and Africans (slaves)
I. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
B. Independent Republics◦ 1. during the 1700s & 1800s, people from Latin
America fought for independence & were successful ◦ 2. many republics were formed in Latin America, but
they still did not form democracies◦ 3. the colonial class structure (Europeans on top)
remained and the economies were dependent on trade with Europe
◦ 4. local caudillos (military rulers) seized power and became dictators…they usually favored the rich
C. Struggles for Reform◦ 1. after many rebellions, some countries have
improved rights and freedoms for its citizens◦ 2. some countries in Latin & South America have
moved towards democratic governments (Brazil, Guatemala, and Nicaragua)
D. Economic Gains◦ 1. governments tried to reduce dependency on a
single crop◦ 2. promoted modern technology & industry◦ 3. today, foreign countries can invest in
businesses from Latin & South America, but they must abide by laws and regulations of the local governments
A. Mountains◦ 1. Andes Mountains are the highest mountains in
South America◦ 2. they are a part of the Ring of Fire
B. Lowlands◦ 1. Amazon Basin is the lowland area drained by the
Amazon River◦ 2. high levels of rainfall provide an endless growing
season◦ 3. pampas – grassy plains in southeastern S. America
C. Earthquakes & Volcanoes◦ 1. found along the Ring of Fire◦ 2. many islands are also formed in the Caribbean Sea
II. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
A. Summer & Fall – tropical storms & hurricanes hit the area from the Atlantic
B. Every 3 years or so, an ocean current called El Nino warms the Pacific and causes droughts and floods around the world
C. Both Latin and South America have a Tropical Climate
III. CLIMATES
A. Rainforests◦ 1. Amazon rainforest is one of the largest
ecosystems in the world◦ 2. other rainforests can be found in Central
America, Mexico, and various Caribbean islands B. Grasslands
◦ 1. to the north and south of the Amazon rainforest
◦ 2. used for raising livestock and farming (pampas)
C. Desert◦ 1. Mexico and South America support desert and
desert scrub
IV. Ecosystems
A. Latin Americans trace their ancestry to Native Americans, Africans, & Europeans◦ 1. Mestizos – people of both Native American &
European descent◦ 2. Mulattoes – people of African and European
descent
V. PEOPLE & CULTURE
A. Traditionally, most Latin American countries’ economies were based on cash crops (coffee and bananas)
B. Land in the rainforests are cleared to make new farmland (but most nutrients are lost)
C. Commercial Agriculture – most farms only provide for their own family, but some are beginning to use modern equipment to grow enough for more people
D. Auto Industry – manufacturing makes up 1/3 of the nation’s yearly production of goods
VI. ECONOMICS, TECHNOLOGY, & ENVIRONMENT
VII. LOOK AT THE COUNTRIESCountry Type of
EconomyGDP Un-
employment
Leading Import
Leading Export
Mexico
Cuba
Brazil
Honduras
Market $9,000 3.0% Machinery Manufactured goods
Command $2,300 SugarPetroleum4.1%
6.4%
Machinery
Machinery
Manufactured goods
Manufactured goods
Traditional
Mixed
$2,600
$7,400
28%