Chapter 7

Lesson 1 Central America Central America is an isthmus, or narrow piece of land that connects two larger pieces of land. 7 countries make up the isthmus: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Rugged Land Sits on tectonic plates like Mexico, and has many highlands so it is difficult to travel through. While communication and travel is difficult, the volcanoes to provide fertile soil for the farmers. Much of the land is tropical, but the mountains remain cool. Receives 100 inches of rain each year, drier from December to April, and gets hurricanes.

Central American Economies Most countries depend on harvesting wood from rainforests. Wealthy people cut down rainforests and put up plantations, or make charcoal out of forests. Bananas, sugarcane, cotton, coffee are all major crops. Guatemala and Costa Rica also produce flowers and ornamental plants. Most people are subsistence farmers and raise livestock, and grow rice, beans, and corn.

Rainforests and Industry The rain forest has a canopy that covers everything even ancient ruins of civilizations. Lumber companies take much wood and look for rare wood like mahogany and other unusual plant and animal species. Ecotourists and others are trying to replant the rainforest. Aren’t really any smokestacks because there are hardly any industries there except food processing. Guatemala has rich oil reserves, while Costa Rica produces computer chips and highest standard of living and literacy rates in Central America.

The Panama Canal While there are over 850 bird species Mayan ruins in Honduras and Guatemala draw many tourists. Panama depends on farming like all the other countries, but also makes money from the canal, by charging ships fees to go through. USA built and owned it for 80 years, but gave control to Panama. Half of the 3 million Panama people live and work in this area of Panama.

Central America-Then & Now Like Mexico, the Olmecs were here first and then the Mayans later on. In Tikal, in Guatemala, and Copan, in Honduras, the Mayans built temples that were 212 feet from the base. Spanish came over and forced Natives to work for them and the cultures gradually blended. Spanish gave Natives Christianity, and Natives showed Spanish local medicines and how to trap and farm. Most countries were independent from Spain in 1821, but Panama didn’t until 1903 with help of USA, and Belize didn’t until 1981, they were a British colony.

After Independence Civil unrest, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua had civil wars s. Costa Ricans have enjoyed a mostly peaceful, each country has a democratic government, 6 are republics, and Belize is a Parliamentary democracy. About 40 million, 1/3 live in Guatemala, Spanish is official language, but 20 Native languages still spoken. 50% live on farms and villages, sports include, futball and baseball.

Lesson 2 Cultures of the Caribbean Have a few archipelagos, which dot the Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean Islands are considered the West Indies. Some islands are made from volcanoes which are peaked and have rich soil, others are made of limestone which are sandier and flatter, not good for farming. Worry about hurricanes much of the year, but weather is constantly warm all year long for the most part.

The Caribbean Economy Tourism and farming are the largest sectors for the Caribbean economy. Cruise ships bring tourists from island to island, while there are wealthy plantation owners which grow bananas and sugarcane, which is a roller coaster ride for the owners. Bauxite has been found in Jamaica, oil in Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico has chemicals for machines, and Dominican Republic has textile mills.

Caribbean History and Culture Christopher Columbus came to Bahamas in 1492 and met Taino, and the Spaniards founded first settlement in 1496 in Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic. Natives died from diseases and harsh treatment so Europeans used slaves from Africa to do work. All but one country became republic or parliamentary democracy, that was Cuba, which became Communist state. Not all of the islands have independence yet.

More Culture Large Asian, Native American, and African population there. 38 million altogether with 11.3 million in Cuba. Mostly speak European languages and follow Roman Catholicism. 60% of people live in cities, rest work in countryside. Most islanders work in hotels and restaurants. Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Cuba big baseball places, soccer too.

Island Profiles Cuba One of world’s top sugar producers. Most farmers work on cooperative farms, ran by the government. In Havana, Cuba’s capital, workers make food products, cigars, and household goods. Cuba won independence in 1898 from Spain, had democratic republic until 1959, when Fidel Castro took over, USA put embargo on them right away, relied on USSR for aide. USSR fell apart, Cuba is now in rough shape.

Island Profiles: Haiti & Dominican Republic Both on island of Hispaniola. Haiti fought for independence in 1804 from France, becoming 2 nd independent republic in Western Hemisphere, 95% of people are African, but Civil war has hurt country. Dominican Republic was Spanish and now has free trade zone where countries can trade with no taxes. Poverty hurts economy but in much better shape than Haiti.

Island Profiles: Puerto Rico Was Spanish territory from when USA won control of territory in Spanish-American war. They are a commonwealth, or partly control their own government since Are US citizens and can go from USA to Puerto Rico. High standard of living compared to that of most islands. Makes more money from tourism than any other country in area. Has many chemical factories.