Chapter 2 Flashcards
How many ‘Americas’ are there?
There are two ‘Americas’: North America and South America.
This includes Middle America as part of North America.
What is the combined population of Middle + South America?
The combined population of Middle America and South America is approximately 666 million.
This figure varies based on current demographic data.
What characterizes the northern borderland of the Americas?
It is a dynamic borderland and transition zone with the U.S., yet it experiences relative isolation from the rest of the hemisphere.
This isolation can impact trade, culture, and migration patterns.
What competition exists within Mexican drug cartels?
Colombian drug cartels established new bases in northern Mexico in competition with Mexican cartel operations.
This competition has significant implications for drug trafficking routes and violence in the region.
What is a major geographic quality of Middle America?
Fragmented - physically and politically.
What is a land bridge?
A geographic feature connecting two larger land masses.
What is an archipelago?
A group of islands.
What seasonal hurricane regions does Middle America front?
Both the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
What influences contribute to the cultural diversity in Middle America?
African/European influences in the Caribbean and Spanish/indigenous influences on mainland.
What is a culture hearth?
A region where cultural traits develop and spread.
Why are culture hearths historically important?
They are centers of agriculture, urbanization, writing, science, art, etc.
When did the Lowland Maya reach their zenith?
3rd to 10th Centuries.
Where did the Lowland Maya begin?
Yucatan Peninsula.
What is significant about the Highland Aztecs?
Began 700 years ago at Tenochtitlan (> 100,000), known as subjugators and better borrowers than inventors.
What was a significant economic system in the Caribbean?
Slavery and plantation economy.
What cultural influences remain strong in the Caribbean?
African cultural influences.
What year did the significant impact of Europeans begin?
1492
Which European countries had the greatest effect on the Americas?
Spain, Portugal, France, England
How did Africans contribute to the impact of Europeans?
Through the transatlantic slave trade and forced labor
What was the role of the Chinese in the context of European impact?
Limited direct impact; primarily involved in trade
What was the effect of Europeans on the Indian population?
Colonization and cultural exchange
What caused the depopulation of indigenous peoples in the Americas?
Diseases, warfare, and exploitation
Why did Europeans deforest the landscape in the Americas?
To create farmland and extract resources
What percentage of tropical rainforest remains in Middle America?
10%
What livestock did Europeans introduce and breed in large quantities?
Cattle, pigs, sheep, and horses
Why were Amerindians concentrated into villages?
To facilitate control and conversion to Christianity
What was the effect of introduced Roman Catholicism on Amerindians?
Cultural assimilation and loss of indigenous beliefs
What are the differences in European land tenure systems?
Mainland (hacienda) vs. Rimland (plantation)
Fill in the blank: Only _______ of tropical rainforest remains in Middle America.
10%
Who is considered Hispanic?
A person of Spanish-speaking origin or ancestry
What is the origin of the term Latino/Latina?
It originates from the Latin American cultural context
What does Chicano/Chicana refer to?
A person of Mexican origin or descent, particularly in the United States
Who is mestizo?
A person of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry
Who is mulatto?
A person of mixed African and European ancestry
What percent of Americans today consider themselves Hispanic?
Approximately 18%
What percent of Americans are projected to consider themselves Hispanic by 2050?
Approximately 29%
Are the categories Hispanic, Latino, and Chicano necessary today?
This is a subject of debate and varies by individual perspective
What is the largest and most influential country in Middle America?
Mexico
What is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world?
Mexico
What is the percentage of Mestizo in Mexico’s cultural diversity?
62%
What percentage of Mexico’s population is predominantly indigenous?
21%
What percentage of Mexico’s population is full-blooded indigenous?
7%
What are the main reasons Mexicans migrate to the U.S.?
Economic opportunities, family reunification, and violence.
What invited Mexicans to migrate to the U.S.?
Labor demands in the U.S.
What is the term for the blending of cultures that occurs through migration?
Transculturation
What is Mexico’s rank as a provider of imports to the U.S.?
2nd largest provider
What is the primary type of factory known as maquiladoras in Mexico?
Foreign-owned factories
How many people do maquiladoras employ in Mexico?
More than 2 million
What is Mexico’s most important export?
Oil
What percentage of Mexico’s oil export goes to the U.S.?
90%
What is Mexico’s rank as an oil supplier to the U.S.?
Second largest supplier after Canada
How many countries are in Central America?
Seven
What are the characteristics of the republics in Central America?
Troubled, small in area/population, and prone to deadly natural hazards
What is the impact of fragmented agricultural lands in Central America?
Results in low yields and rural poverty
What is altitudinal zonation?
A system that categorizes agricultural land based on elevation
What are the two lowest (in elevation) zones in altitudinal zonation?
Tropical and subtropical zones
What are important crops from the two lowest zones?
Crops such as bananas, coffee, and sugarcane, coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables
How many tourist visits does Caribbean America see per year?
25 million tourist visits per year
This statistic highlights the significance of tourism in the region’s economy.
What are the Greater Antilles?
Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica
These islands are the main large landmasses in the Greater Antilles region.
What comprises the Lesser Antilles?
Remaining ~700 smaller islands
The Lesser Antilles includes a variety of smaller islands that are not part of the Greater Antilles.
What is Hurricane Alley?
All of the Greater Antilles, southern Florida, Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and the Gulf of Mexico
This area is particularly prone to hurricanes due to its geographical location.
What are some downsides to the tourism industry?
Greater environmental impact, cultural dilution, economic dependency
These downsides can significantly affect local communities and ecosystems.
When was the Panama Canal built?
1904-1914
The construction was carried out by U.S. contractors.
What was the status of the Canal Zone until 1999?
U.S. territory
The U.S. controlled the Canal Zone until it was handed over to Panama.
What significant event occurred in Panama in 1903?
Panama broke away from Colombia
This led to a deal with the U.S. for canal construction.
What year was the Panama Canal completed?
1914
The canal was completed after a decade of construction.
How many ships does the Panama Canal carry per year?
14,000 ships
This includes ships traveling along 80 shipping routes.
What percentage of the world’s cargo volume does the Panama Canal handle?
5%
This figure highlights the canal’s significance in global trade.
What percentage of the U.S.A.’s cargo volume is handled by the Panama Canal?
16%
This indicates the canal’s importance to U.S. trade specifically.
