Latin America: History, Land, Culture, Economy

1. Latin America
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, and South America

3. Landforms
Mountains &
Highlands
Plains Rivers Major Islands of the
Caribbean
Andes Mountains
- Western part of N. S.
and Central America
- Active Volcanoes
Llanos
- Colombia &
Venezuela
- Grassy, treeless area
- Agricultural areas
- Farming & grazing
Orinoco River
- Venezuela
- Basin is home to
some Native groups
Bahamas
- 100s of islands off
southern Florida and
north of Cuba
- Nassau is capital
- Barrier to movement
into interior of
continent
- AKA: Rockies (North
America); Sierra
Madres (Mexico)
Cerrado
- Interior of Brazil
- Undeveloped land
used for farming
- Brazil’s gov’t
encourages settling
Amazon River
- Flows west to east
- Empties into Atlantic
- Carriers more water
than any other river
- 1,000 tributaries
Greater Antilles
- Larger islands in
Caribbean
- Cuba, Jamaica,
Hispaniola, Puerto
Rico
- Hispaniola:
Haiti/Dominican Republic
Highlands
- Northeast section S.
America
- Guyana, Venezuela,
Suriname, French
Guiania, Brazil
Pampas
- North Argentina &
Uruguay
- Farming
- Cattle & Wheat
Parana River
- Starts in highlands of
Brazil
- Paraguay & Argentina
Lesser Antilles
- Smaller Caribbean
islands
- Windward & Leeward

4. Landforms
Mountains &
Highlands
Plains Rivers Major Islands of the
Caribbean
Andes Mountains Llanos Orinoco River Bahamas
Cerrado Amazon River Greater Antilles
Highlands Pampas Parana River Lesser Antilles

6. Resources of Latin America
Mineral
Energy

7. Climate and
Vegetation

8. Agriculture Reshapes the
Environment
Slash & Burn Techniques
 Native peoples
 Cut down trees
 Burn debris to clear fields
 Today, in Amazon Basin
Terraced Farming
 Growing crops on hillsides
 Reduces soil erosion
 Inca, Aztec

9. Urbanization
 Most highly urbanized countries?
 Push Factors
 Pull Factors
 Urban Problems:
Mexico City

10. Tourism
 Positive Impacts
 Negative Impacts

12. Mexico
Colonialism to Independence
 Aztec and Mayans
 Cortes led Spanish conquest
 1821: Independence from Spain
 Describe Mexico’s political situation since
gaining independence?

13. Blending of Cultures
 Mexico City built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan
 Today: mostly Spanish speaking and Catholic
 Most population is Mestizo

14. Mexico’s Economy
 Gap between rich and poor (historical roots?)
 Oil industry
 Manufacturing – What are Maquiladoras?
 NAFTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhwhMXOxHTg (perot)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGeTZ4u2jbg

16. Central America & The Caribbean

17. Central America & the
Caribbean
Central America: A Cultural Hearth
 Influence of Mayan civilization
 Temples in Belize, el Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala
 Spanish ruled until 1830s

18. Central America & the
Caribbean
Caribbean
 “You’re not Indians…you’re Indians”
 Spanish established sugar plantations
 Slaves brought to work sugar plantations
 Spain, England, France, Netherlands, Denmark

19. Cultural Blending
 Mix of Native and Spanish cultures
 Impact of African culture
 Haiti: French legacy

20. Economics
 Most of the population is poor
 Agriculture: bananas, citrus, coffee, spices
 Trade through the Panama Canal
 Central America: mostly rural
 Caribbean: densely populated
 Informal economy – the black market

21. Spanish Speaking South
America
 Native Civilization: Inca in Peru
 1500: 2,500 miles along west coast
 Conquered by Pizarro and the Spanish
 Many natives die in silver mines
 Since independence, military rule and oligarchy

22. Economics
 Variety of products and resources
 Colombia & Venezuela
 Peru
 Ecuador
 Argentina
 Uruguay
 Paraguay
 Why has Chile been so successful?

23. Brazil

26. Brazil’s Economy

30. Destruction of the Rainforest
 What factors have led to the destruction of the rain forest?
 What is the cost of destruction?
 Solutions?