MIDDLE AMERICA I (chapter 4: )

INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLE AMERICA DEFINING THE REALM –MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, CARIBBEAN ISLANDS MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES –FRAGMENTED - PHYSICALLY AND POLITICALLY –DIVERSE CULTURALLY –POVERTY IS ENDEMIC

REGIONS OF MIDDLE AMERICA Mexico Central America Greater Antilles Lesser Antilles

MIDDLE AMERICA

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LAND BRIDGE ARCHIPELAGO –GREATER AND LESSER ANTILLES NATURAL HAZARDS –EARTHQUAKES –VOLCANOES –HURRICANES I wonder why?

WORLD TECTONIC PLATES

DISTRIBUTION OF EARTHQUAKES & VOLCANOES

WORLD HURRICANE TRACKS

CULTURE HEARTH SOURCE AREAS FROM WHICH RADIATED IDEAS, INNOVATIONS, AND IDEOLOGIES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD BEYOND. MA HEARTHS AZTECS MAYANS

MESOAMERICA CULTURE HEARTHS – MAYA CIVILIZATION 3000 BP CLASSIC PERIOD AD HONDURAS, GUATEMALA, BELIZE, YUCATAN PENINSULA THEOCRATIC STRUCTURE – AZTEC CIVILIZATION 1300 AD VALLEY OF MEXICO TENOCHTITLAN (>100,000 PEOPLE)

THE LEGACY OF COLONIALISM LAND WAS APPROPRIATED - COLONIAL COMMERCIAL INTERESTS LANDS DEVOTED TO FOOD CROPS FOR LOCAL CONSUMPTION WERE CONVERTED TO CASH CROPPING FOR EXPORT LAND ALIENATION INDUCES: –FAMINE –POVERTY –MIGRATION –LITTLE AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY

COLONIAL SPHERES

MAINLAND/RIMLAND FRAMEWORK MAINLAND –EURO-INDIAN INFLUENCE –GREATER ISOLATION –HACIENDA PREVAILED RIMLAND –EURO-AFRICAN INFLUENCE –HIGH ACCESSIBILITY –PLANTATION ECONOMY

MAINLAND – RIMLAND DISTINCTION

MAINLAND vs RIMLAND LOCATIONGREATER ISOLATIONGREATER ACCESSIBILITY CLIMATEALTITUDINALTROPICAL ZONATION PHYSIOGRAPHYMOUNTAINSISLANDS CULTUREEURO/INDIANAFRICAN-EUROPEAN RACE MESTIZOMULATTO LANDHOLDING PATTERNSHACIENDASPLANTATION MAINLANDRIMLAND

HACIENDA vs PLANTATION HACIENDA –SPANISH INSTITUTION –NOT EFFICIENT BUT SOCIAL PRESTIGE –WORKERS LIVED ON THE LAND PLANTATION –NORTHERN EUROPEAN ORIGINS –EXPORT ORIENTED MONOCROPS –IMPORTED CAPITAL AND SKILLS –SEASONAL LABOR –EFFICIENCY IS KEY

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS PLANTATION PRODUCTION FOR EXPORTPRODUCTION FOR EXPORT SINGLE CASH CROPSINGLE CASH CROP SEASONAL EMPLOYMENTSEASONAL EMPLOYMENT PROFIT MOTIVE $$$PROFIT MOTIVE $$$ MARKET VULNERABILITYMARKET VULNERABILITY

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS PLANTATIONHACIENDA PRODUCTION FOR EXPORTPRODUCTION FOR EXPORT SINGLE CASH CROPSINGLE CASH CROP SEASONAL EMPLOYMENTSEASONAL EMPLOYMENT PROFIT MOTIVE $$$PROFIT MOTIVE $$$ MARKET VULNERABILITYMARKET VULNERABILITY DOMESTIC MARKETDOMESTIC MARKET DIVERSIFIED CROPSDIVERSIFIED CROPS YEAR ROUND JOBSYEAR ROUND JOBS SMALL PLOT OF LANDSMALL PLOT OF LAND SELF-SUFFICIENTSELF-SUFFICIENT

AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS PLANTATIONHACIENDA PRODUCTION FOR EXPORTPRODUCTION FOR EXPORT SINGLE CASH CROPSINGLE CASH CROP SEASONAL EMPLOYMENTSEASONAL EMPLOYMENT PROFIT MOTIVE $$$PROFIT MOTIVE $$$ MARKET VULNERABILITYMARKET VULNERABILITY EJIDO DOMESTIC MARKETDOMESTIC MARKET DIVERSIFIED CROPSDIVERSIFIED CROPS YEAR ROUND JOBSYEAR ROUND JOBS SMALL PLOT OF LANDSMALL PLOT OF LAND SELF-SUFFICIENTSELF-SUFFICIENT SMALL SURPLUSESSMALL SURPLUSES LAND “OWNERSHIP”LAND “OWNERSHIP” COMMUNAL VILLAGECOMMUNAL VILLAGE COLLECTIVECOLLECTIVE

MIDDLE AMERICA I (chapter 4: )