Latin America

Mexico – Early CivilizationsOriginally occupied by the Toltecs, Maya

(Yucatan Peninsula), and the AztecsAztecs lived in Tenochtitlan (present-day

Mexico City) and practiced human sacrificeConquered by Hernando CortesUnder Spanish rule, Mexico’s land was

unevenly distributed

GovernmentInstitutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)

helped introduce democracy and redistribute land to the peasants

This one party controlled Mexico for 71 yearsIn 2000, Vincente Fox was elected president

which showed that Mexico was becoming more democratic

EconomicsOil industry along the Gulf of Mexico is

importantMaquiladoras are important manufacturing

industries that turn imported materials into finished goods for export, especially to the U.S.

Central AmericaMayan influence: pyramids and templesAfrican influence: brought to the Caribbean

to work on plantationsSpanish, French, British, Dutch, and Danish

claimed islands in the Caribbean to profit from the sugar trade

First independence movement began as a slave revolt in Haiti led by Toussaint L’Ouverture

Cuba followed achieving independence from Spain as a result of the Spanish-American War

CultureReligions: Catholic and Protestant, Santeria

(African practices and rituals combined with Catholic elements)

Voodoo is practiced in HaitiRastafarianism (religious and political

movement) in JamaicaLanguages: Spanish, French (Haiti), English

(dominates Jamaica), Dutch and Danish

JobsMost people are poor as a result of

colonialismSugar cane is the largest export cropBananas, citrus fruits, coffee, and spices are

also exportedTourism is an important industryInformal economies: street vending,

shining shoes provide people with small incomes

South AmericaInca: one of the greatest civilizations located

in the Andes Mountains of PeruConquered by Francisco Pizarro for gold and

silverQuechua (language of the Inca) was

overshadowed by the Spanish, as well as, their religion replaced by Catholicism

**However, Quechua is still a lasting legacy of the Inca

IndependenceTwo great leaders: Simon Bolivar and Jose

de San Martin led independence movements in South America

Many countries have been governed as an oligarchy or military rule since gaining independence from Spain

Various countries failed to unify under common goals

EconomicsChile has been successful in exporting fruits

and vegetables to North America because it’s harvest occurs during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter

It is an associate member of Mercosur an economic common market in South America, its goal is to promote free trade and create stability

EducationSouth American countries have higher

literacy rates than those of Central America and the Caribbean

Chile’s literacy rate is close to 98%; however, higher education has suffered due to political unrest

BrazilTo escape Napoleon’s armies in 1807, the

Portuguese royal family sailed to Brazil, this made Brazil the heart of the Portuguese empire

Treaty of Tordesillas divided South America between Spain and Portugal, giving Portugal Brazil

Brazil gained independence when a petition was signed asking the son of Portugal’s king to grant independence

CultureBrazil has been more successful in blending

its ethnic groupsThey have the largest Japanese population

outside JapanBrazil has the largest Catholic population in

the world

EconomicsBrazil is the 10th largest economy in the

worldIt is a leading maker of automobilesOver half of its cars use ethanol made from

sugar cane, which is less expensive than imported oil (although Brazil has large reserves of oil)

Because many people live on the exterior of the country, the government is encouraging movement into the interior to develop its many resources

Life in BrazilCarnival takes place in the streets of Rio de

Janeiro where people dance to the sambaCapoeira is a martial art dance developed

from African originsRio de Janeiro also has a widening gap

between rich and poor causing favelas (slums), crime, and drugs

Carnival

Capoeira