LATIN AMERICA is a culture region. The people in this region have “culture” in common. The next unit of study is “Latin America.” Why wouldn’t we study North and South America as units? The geographic boundaries of Latin America are……

Most of Latin America lies between Tropic of Cancer & Tropic of Capricorn Physical Features Why are a number of latitudes important? The Andes creates a barrier that separates the west coast of SA from the rest of the continent. Climate zones That means the average temperature is? HOT!

The longest mountain system in the world is found in Latin America. The Andes Mountains stretch about 7,000 miles along the west coast of South America.

The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth. It may go hundreds of years without rain in some regions.

While the cultures of the region are similar, a few countries do speak languages such as Portuguese, French, and English. The largest country in Latin America speaks: Why?

The people of Puerto Rico have both an African and Spanish/Indian heritage. Name the country the people of Puerto Rico are citizens of…… Did you know? Puerto Rico actually fields their own teams in international competitions like the Olympics.

Latin America is a region based on two cultural factors: LANGUAGE Most countries speak Spanish

All the countries are Christian and overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. The second common cultural component is religion. Religion and language were brought to the “New World” by the Spanish and Portuguese.

The four sub-regions of Latin America include: Mexico Central America (called Middle America in your textbook.)

The sub-regions of Latin America also include: The Caribbean Islands.

Before Columbus (pre- Columbian) arrived, the America’s had a number of advanced cultures and empires. The Aztecs built a powerful empire based on brutal conquest and human sacrifice.

The Mayans built great cities in the Yucatan in Mexico and in Guatemala. They “disappeared” around 1500.

The Incas of South America built a vast empire. How did geography affect the location and communication in their empire? Machu Pichu

How were the ancient Indians (including the Inca) able to grow food in the Andes? They “terraced” down the side of the mountains to create flat spaces to grow crops. 7 mins

The future of the America’s was changed dramatically when an Italian navigator, using calculations made by Ptolemy some 1600 years before, attempted to sail west to reach the “east” and find a new route for spices and other riches.

Since both countries were exploring the New World, the Pope drew a line that divided the region to be explored between Spain and Portugal.

While most of Latin America came under the domination of Spain, several European countries claimed islands in the Caribbean.

The European advantages in technology proved to much for the numerically superior native American people. The Native Americans had no steel weapons.

More than technology and firepower, the Spanish brought an unintended, and more devastating weapon. European diseases such as smallpox and measles. Some estimates are as high as 80% of all the people in the New World died of disease, starvation and overwork at the hand of the Spanish. smallpox

The Spanish and Portuguese conquerors came to the New World not to settle, but to extract its riches to send back to Europe. Eventually, many Spaniards stayed and mixed with the native population. This created people called “mestizos.”

So, where do “Hispanics” come from? They are a mix of Spanish and Indian heritage.

How the Spaniards changed the ethnicity of the Caribbean Islands. Jamaica Cuba Haiti Puerto Rico

The native Indian tribes were forced to work on European plantations. Between brutal work, disease, and mistreatment, most Caribbean Indians died.

To solve this labor problem, the Europeans brought African slaves over to work on the plantations. On many of the islands today, the majority of the population is of African descent. Crops that lend themselves well to growth in the “plantation system” are called plantation crops.

Although not native to the Caribbean, the Europeans quickly learned the climate is prefect for sugar cane. It is also a very “labor intensive” crop to grow, harvest, and process.

Today, much of Latin America is still mired in poverty. Reasons include colonialism, corrupt governments, and in many cases simple Geography.

While countries such as Mexico and Venezuela have vast oil reserves there is a large “income gap” between the few wealthy and many poor throughout Latin America.

Today, tourism is a major source of income in the Caribbean Islands and much of Central America and Mexico. Hotels and resorts can bring in money, but most people do not benefit.

Every country is below the magic latitude line. What assumptions can you make as a result of that fact? 30

What would the population pyramid of a typical Latin American country look like?

Like most of the developing world, Latin America is a land of potential wealth that has yet to be realized. Nieto