LATIN AMERICA’S CULTURE

1. LATIN AMERICA’S CULTURE Chapters 10-12

2. Geography Influences History/ migration pattern in many, many, many ways ! • BERINGIA LANDBRIDGE • Geographic Features influence Migration ! • Some HELP……… like the “land bridge” that allowed people to migrate to the Americas from Asia

3. Spatial Diffusion = spread of disease, food, language, Etc • With the Columbian Exchange, many, many, many new things were introduced to the “New” and “Old” World

4. Section 3 Mexico Today Objectives: • What are the economic and cultural regions of Mexico? • What challenges face Mexico?

5. Section 3 Mexico Today Mexico’s regions: • Greater Mexico City—cultural, economic, political center • Central Mexico—fertile farm area; second city, Guadalajara • Gulf lowlands—hot and humid; economy based on farming, ranching, oil production • Southern Mexico—Yucatán and Chiapas highlands; Mayan areas, subsistence farming • Northern Mexico—more prosperous; commercial agriculture, industry centered in Monterrey

6. Section 3 Mexico Today Mexico’s challenges: • economic inequality—few rich, many poor; promotes instability, migration • crime—drug-related corruption and violence limit national progress • infrastructure—social and economic advance hindered by poor water, sewer, transport

7. Section 2 Central America Objectives: • How does Central America’s history continue to shape the region today? • What economic, political, and social conditions exist in the region?

8. Section 2 Central America Effects of history on Central America: • tradition of wealth concentrated in few families • continued importance of Roman Catholic Church • Spanish language (except in former British colony of Belize) • population mainly mixed-race mestizos and mulattoes

9. Section 2 Central America Economic, political, and social conditions: • commercial export agriculture, with strong foreign influence • powerful families control society, government, military • widespread poverty and inequality—cause emigration, unrest. • El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala—violence, civil war • Honduras—poorest country; rough terrain, lack of development • Panama—variety of conditions; wilderness jungle to modern industry • Costa Rica—greatest stability, highest standard of living.

10. Section 3 The Caribbean Objectives: • What are some important events in the history of the Caribbean? • What cultural and population patterns are found in the region? • What activities support the economies of the Caribbean countries?

11. Section 3 The Caribbean Important events in Caribbean history: • Columbus’s arrival in 1492 began Spanish colonization. • British, Dutch, and French competed for control. • Europeans create plantations based on slave labor. • Haiti gained independence in 1804. • U.S. took Cuba and Puerto Rico from Spain in Spanish-American War of 1898. • Many Caribbean islands remained colonies until mid-1900s.

12. Section 3 The Caribbean Cultural and population patterns: • population—mainly Europeans and African descendants • Asian immigrants—influence in some countries (Trinidad and Tobago) • language—based on colonial history (Spanish, English, French, Dutch) • religion—Catholic, Protestant, African beliefs, Hinduism, Islam. • rapid population growth—produces unemployment, emigration, urbanization.

13. Section 3 The Caribbean Economic activities: • Except for Cuba, market economies dominate the region. • Agricultural exports are the key activity: sugar, bananas, cacao, citrus, spices. • Mining is important in some countries. • Puerto Rico has developed industry based on U.S. policies. • Tourism is important throughout the region.

14. Section 2 History and Culture Objectives: • What were some important events in the early history of South America? • How did the colonial era and independence affect South America? • What are some important features of South America’s cultures?

15. Section 2 History and Culture Early history: • First inhabitants arrived more than 12,000 years ago. • Various early civilizations arose, including the Chibcha of Colombia • Inca civilization spanned much of Andean region. • Spanish conquered the Inca in the 1530s. • Spain and Portugal divided the continent: Spain in the west, Portugal in the east. • Colonists brought new plants, animals, and diseases. • Portuguese brought slave labor to Brazil to work sugar plantations.

16. Section 2 History and Culture Effects of the colonial era and independence: • After independence (1810–1830), new nations were still ruled by wealthy elite. • Countries remained isolated from each other. • Borders mirrored colonial divisions. • Life for most people changed little after independence. • Governments often changed through violent coups.

17. Section 2 History and Culture Cultural features: • great ethnic variety—mixed-race, European, American Indian, African, east Indian, Japanese • language—reflects colonization; Indian languages still spoken • religion—majority Roman Catholic; also Hinduism, Islam, other religions • traditional culture, despite change

18. Section 3 South America Today Objectives: • What is the economy of South America like today? • What are South American cities like? • What issues and challenges face the people of South America?

19. Section 3 South America Today Economy: • developing or middle-income nations • agriculture—ranges from subsistence to large-scale commercial • industry—including products for local market and export manufactures • Mercosur—effort to expand trade and cooperation

20. Section 3 South America Today Urban environments: • Major cities are huge compared with other cities. • Urban life is often hard for rural migrants. • many large slums

21. Section 3 South America Today Issues and challenges: • reducing poverty • high birthrates • environmental problems—rain forest destruction, soil exhaustion • political disputes over borders and resources • violence and terrorism, often linked to drug trade