Latin America Flashcards
isthmus
narrow stretch of land connecting two larger land areas
major: isthmus of Panama
basin
area of land drained by a given river & its branches
area of land surrounded by lands of higher elevations
bowl-shaped, formed by erosion(inland sea)
gaucho
Spanish
cowhands employed by ranchers on large estates to drive heads of cattle across pampas
Argentine Pampas Plains
tierra templada
Spanish term for “temperate land”
the middle altitude zone of Latin American highlands climates
broad-leafed evergreen trees @ lower levels & needle-leafed, conebearing evergreens @ upper
crops: coffee, corn, citrus fruit
most densely populated of zones
estuary
an area where the tide meets a river current
where fresh water meets saltwater
inlet by Uruguay fed by Rio de la Plata
in DE, saltwater goes up to Churchmann’s Marsh near I-95, fed by Christina River
cordillera
parallel chains or ranges of mountains
canopy
top layer of rain forest, where the tops of tall trees form a continuous layer of leaves
blocks rain which prevents ground vegetation from being very lush; blocks sunlight which traps heat; rain caught + heat = rapid evap
130ft
hydroelectric power
electrical energy produced by falling water
declining rate of terrain = factor in how forceful the water is
Amazon R = in basin, so water = extra powerful; however, hard to build dam cuz water needs to be rerouted, dam built, & water led back; dam has to survive the force of the returning water
altiplano
Spanish for “high plain”
a region in Peru & Bolivia encircled by the Andes peaks
tierra fria
Spanish term for “cold land”
the highest altitude zone of Latin American highlands climates
frosts common during winter months
crops: potatoes, wheat, apples, barley
escarpment
steep cliff or slope between a higher & lower land surface
eastern coastline of SA filled with bluffs, cliffs, etc.; over time, begin to slope towards coastline -> escarpment
indigenous
native to a certain area
Native Americans (first to settle LA); Maya, Aztec, & Inca
dialect
local form of a language used in a particular place or by a certain group
patois
dialects that blend elements of indigenous, European, African, and Asian languages
Haiti - “Creole”; French, Swahili, some Spanish & English
Am. version of Creole = Cajan
blend of language
megacity
city with more than 10 million ppl
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires (“megalopolis”)
primate city
a city that dominates a country’s economy, culture, and gov’t & in which population is concentrated
usually the capital
if it has an international airport, prob primate
Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires
many began near waterways during colonial era
glyph
pictogram
picture writing carved in stone
transfer message
tell story
chinampas
floating farming islands made by the Aztec
quipu
knotted cords of various lengths & colors used by the Inca to keep financial records
conquistador
Spanish term for “conqueror”, referring to soldiers who conquered Native Americans in Latin America
1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue & others soon followed
brought disease & AA’s as slaves
used guns, germs, & steel to conquer natives; germs most deadly - smallpox wiped out millions
viceroy
representative of the Spanish monarch appointed to enforce laws in colonial Latin America (viceroyalties)
caudillo
a Latin American poltiical leader from the late 1800s on
often a military dictator backed by military forces & wealthy landowners
after Spanish & Portuguese lost control; after freedom
syncretism
a blending of beliefs & practices from different religions into 1 faith
the further from big cities, the biger the blend b/w monotheistic & native beliefs
mural
outdoor wall painting
graffiti = urban mural
mosaic
pic or design made w/ small pieces of colored stone, glass, shell, or tile
expresses family traditions
malnutrition
faulty or inadequate nutrition
futbol
Spanish term for soccer
jai alai
traditional handball-type game popular w/ Mexicans & Cubans
in ancient times, yearly tournament to strive to become kings’ champion; winner/loser = executed
campesinos
farm workers
generally, ppl who live & work in rural areas
usually subsistence farming(Mexico)
some go to work on mini/latifundias
cash crops
farm crops grown to be sold or traded rather than used by the farm family
latifundia
large agricultural estates owned by families or corporations
job hard to get - regular pay, hard to lose, rules for protection
minifundia
small farms that produce food chiefly for family use but can be commercial
maquiladoras
in Mexico, manufacturing plants set up by foreign firms
mestizos
Spanish/Native
mulattos
Euro/African
live mainly in Caribbean cuz killed off by Euro diseases in other places & slave trade
caboclos
Portugese/Native
speak Portuguese
Amazon
poor but satisfied
houses on stilts
subsistence farming & fishing
harmony w/ nature
families often forced to move cuz of flooding
electricity & schooling uncommon , illness common
modern often go to city
extended family
household made up of several generations of family members
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement
trade agreement made in 1994 by Canada, the US, & Mexico
reduces/eliminates trade restrictions(tariffs)
like EU
diffuses areas & boosts economies
deforestation
the loss or destruction of forests, mainly for logging or farming
rate: 20 football fields a minute(during working hours)
slash-and-burn farming
traditional farming method in which all trees & plants in an area r cut & burned to add nutrients to the soil
doesn’t last long
quicker & cheaper deforestation technique
shantytowns
makeshift communities on the edges of cities
quetzal
national bird of Guatemala
also name of Guatemalen currency
Maya
peaked around late 1st millennium & then mysteriously vanished
theory: Aztecs drove them out
southern Mexico/Yucatan/isthmus
Tikal, in Guatemala
used glyphs, good at math
Incas
rose to power after Mayans
lived along west coast of SA in Andes mtn ranges
adapted to warm climate
1 emperor ruled all - southern ppl rebelled & broke off; incas fought, traded diseases (weird immune systems) -> were weak by the time conquistadors came
Cuzco, Peru
central gov’t headed by emperor
used quipu, storytelling, irrigation, roads, massive temples & fortresses
Aztecs
rose to power last
central Mexico
Tenochtitlan, Mexico City
chinampas for beans & maize
highly structured class system headed by emperor & military officials, high-ranking priests; majority @ bottom
corn from maize, tomato, cacao beans
Francisco Pizarro
1541 w/ 300 conquistadors
1520-1540 Aztecs driven out & spread disease; already weak Incas cut down even more
used guns, steel etc. to trick emperor of Incas to “talk peacefully”; took him hostage requesting palace full of gold; executed him to set the tone –> Euro kings alarmed by execution of king & arrested Pizarro; 300 conquistadors remained however
strip mining
for iron ore
looks red cuz Pacific Coast = windward; moves soil, but iron ore moves less easily & cakes
cut into hillside to protect against runoff, increases amount of iron ore to strip
after stripped, good for farming (water absorption)
vaqueros
cowboy
Portuguese speaking
Paraguayan & Brazilian Pampas Plains
Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay
llaneros
Spanish
cowhands employed by ranchers on large estates to drive heads of cattle across Llanos Plains
reef
barrier
saltwater extent of an estuary
salt creeps up farther 2x a day in tides
vertical zonation
like longitudinal zonation (farther from Equator, the colder)
the farther up, the colder
tierra fria, templa, & caliente
tropical highlands
tierra caliente
Spanish term for “hot land”
the lowest altitude zone of Latin American highlands climates
crops: cacao, bananas, sugarcane, rice
Latin America
Meso America - Mexico & Central Am
Caribbean/West Indies - Greater & Lesser Antilles
South America
abt 8 million square miles ~ 16% land surface of Earth
sits along Pacific Ring of Fire - mtns, volcanoes, earthquakes
Sierra Madre
Mexico
Oriental(Eastern) & Occidental(Western)
meet near Mexico City to form Sierra Madre del Sur(of the South)
surrounds Mexican Plateau
other highlands
Central Highlands - Central America; many Caribbean islands also part of this
Guiana Highlands
Andes
western edge of South America
world’s longest & one of the highest
Patagonia
southern Argentina
plateau
hills & lower flatlands
plateaus
Mato Grosso Plateau - plateau of forests & grasslands; over much of Brazil & across to Bolivia & Peru
Mexican Plateau - surrounded by Sierra Madres
Brazilian Highlands
east of Mato Grosso Plateau
spans several climate & vegetation zones
on eastern edge, plunges to Atlantic Ocean as escarpment
llanos
fertile plains in inland areas of Colombia & Venezuela
vast grassland
provides grazing lands for beef cattle
pampas
grassy, treeless plains of Argentina & Uruguay
provides grazing lands for beef cattle
fertile soil; one of world’s major “breadbaskets” - abundance of wheat & corn
many ppl here grow crops on small&medium sized farms
used to have scattered trees but Spanish settlers brought cattle & horses & cut down trees for ranches & overgrazing;
Rio Grande
Rio Bravo del Norte
“Wild River of the North”
part of long border b/w Mexico & US
Amazon Basin
formed by hundreds of smaller rivers which join the Amazon R.
drains parts of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, & Venezuela
covers 1/3 of SA
wettest tropical plain
touches 6 countries
area compares to contiguous 48 US States
Parana, Paraguay, Uruguay river system
2nd-largest river system in LA
drains eastern half of SA
provide inland water routes & hydroelectric power for Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, & Uruguay
after going thru inland areas, flow into Rio de la Plata
Rio de la Plata
“River of Silver”
estuary that meets the Atlantic Ocean
Lake Titicaca
world’s highest navigable lake
in Andes of Bolivia & Peru
area surrounding = one of the centers of early Native Am civilization (many architectural remains)
Lake Maracaibo
Venezuela
regarded as SA’s largest lake, even though actually inlet of Caribbean Sea
surrounding area contains most important oil fields in Venezuela
Lake Nicaragua
largest lake in Central Am
b/w Nicaragua & Costa Rica
natural resources
Gulf of Mexico & southern Caribbean Sea - major oil & natural gas deposits (make Mexico & Venezuela leading oil producers)
Venzuela - foothills along Orinoco R. contain large amounts of gold
Brazil - gold
Peru & Mexico - silver
Colombia - emeralds
Chile - copper
Jamaica - bauxite
Bolivia & Brazil - tin
obstacles of natural resources
geographic inaccessibility
lack of capital for development
deep social & political divisions
tropical rain forest climate
hot temp’s & abundant rainfall yearround
southern Mexico, eastern Central Am, some Caribbean islands, parts of SA
in Amazon Basin, results from area’s location on Equator & patterns of prevailing winds
hieroglyph
glyphs/pictograms in a row
fresco
indoor wall painting
effects of migration
language - dialect, patois
religion - wanting to keep their old religions but also believing in another, LA’s often take part in syncretism
population distribution in 50 years
urban to rural (to deforested areas)
currently @ coasts, might move inland
pros & cons of plantation system
pros: profits, standard of living, & jobs up; wealth for community
cons: disease,created need for triangular leg/slave passage, social classism, only cash crops, slavery, overfarming,
formation of Andes
160 million years ago SA & Africa(Gondwanaland, part of Pangea) separated & SA moved west, 30 miil years ago colliding with Nazca Plate. collision pushed up western edge of SA, which folded t form Andes. subduction.
before, Amazon River had been flowing out to Pacific, but when Andes formed, river was blocked by both Andes & Guyana and Brazilian highlands to east -> gigantic Amazon saltwater lake/inland sea. lakewater eventually transformed to freshwater. global drop in sea levels & temp’s abt 10 million years ago caused wetlands of basin to dry up & become rich & rainforests grew. river eventually made its way thru eastern hilands & began to flow into Atlantic Ocean
when saltwater -> freshwater, marine animals living there also adapted into freshwater animals
further rising of Andes in last 2 million years shifted rivers & created more diversity of life.
what landorms foster largest ranching industries? why?
llanos & pampas
both have wide grazing lands for beef cattle to feed on & vast rolling terrain makes it easier for llaneros & gauchos to drive the great herds around
obstacle to hydroelectric power
Amazon forest - hard to get materials there(machines, etc.). have to cut forest just to transport. steep decline of land -> problems rerouting river
Amazon R -on average more forceful cuz of basin
pros & cons of deforestation industry
pros: wide variety of resources for humans. carving out roads in forests opens up Brazil’s interior to settlement & development, provides jobs, life expectancy goes up, hydroelectric power = more accesible, agriculture increased
cons: destruction of the indigenous human/animals’ ways of life. destruction of trees & other vegetation, loss of possible medicinal cures, global warming
population
coastal, Central Mexico, Antilles
not only r islands very limited in space, but they r also limited in habitable space (usually tops of underwater mtns, so mountainous)
largest: Brazil 171.8 mill ► 201 mill
largest city pop in LA: Mexico City
largest city pop in SA: Sao Paulo
smallest: St. Kitts & Nevis 40k ► 51,134
why increase? cuz of better standard of living w/ deforestation, jobs, etc.
economic activity
2 types of activity based on land use:
subsistence & commercial
subsistence farming
covers largest land area, but not most populous
commerical farming
seeking profit
business
area
largest: Brazil 3,300,154sqmi / 8,547,399sqkm → 8,514,000sqkm
smallest: Grenada 339sqkm → 344sqkm
why change?
conquest, trade of land (Vincent & Grenadines sold 2 islands), sea levels
other rivers
Sao Francesco River - flows thru Brazilian Highlands
Orinoco River
climates
predominant = tropical rain forest & tropical savanna
more affected by elevation than distance from Equator
also affected by landforms & wind patterns
why live in harsh environ?
tradition, ancestral
resource industries: mining, oil drilling, etc.
How does Guyana have Asians?
underpopulated cuz of civil war, famine, etc. → shortage of workers
searched for overpopulated places to inhabit their country
why asians leave: Bangaldesh, etc. = overpopulated, political problems, war, famine
language
most area: Native American; most widespread but not most populous
most populous: Spanish & Portuguese; abt 80%Sp, 10%Port,10%rest
French, English
dialects & patois
labor migration
largest inflow: Brazil, then Argentina & Venezuela (altho V not letting ppl in anymore)
external migration
country to country
have to have permanent living intentions
internal migration
within country
rural ⇔ urban but usually r to u
rural areas - fertile land in short supply or small portion of population controls access to the land
rapid urbanization
Machu Pichu
in Inca region
not created by Incas
have Nazca Lines -> pre-Inca, mystery
gigantic carved ditches only able to be seen from air
viceroyalties
New Spain - now Mexico, Central Am, & western US
New Granada - now Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
Peru - now Peru, Chile
Brazil - now Portugal, Bolivia, Uruguay
Santa Domingo
La Plata - named for a physical feature
Guiana - ruled by France & Netherlands
Francois Toussaint-Louverture
led enslaved Haitians against French
Haiti almost 100% AA (slave colony)
started & inspired movement of liberty & revolution
Simon Bolivar
“the Liberator”
Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Jose de San Martin
led LA forces across Andes to win indendence for Chile & Peru (from Argentina)
Father Miguel Hidalgo
called on Mexicans to fight for “Independence & Liberty” from Spain
didn’t actually fight but got the ball rolling
important modern LA issues
Venezuela has shifted toward dictatorial communist rule since election of Prez Hugo Chavez
Cuba became communist dictatorship in 1960 under Prez Fidel Castro
deforestation effects (Brazil); GDP & standard of living rise tho
war on drugs funded by mainly US but carried out by countries like Panama, Mexico, etc.
unemployment
Roman Catholic Church
religion
Roman Catholicism - 89%(prob rose cuz gave birth more due to better standards of living or staying alive longer)
Protestantism - various forms came w/ British & Dutch settlers in 1800s. in time built hospitals, schools, colleges. grew in late 1900s rapidly cuz emphasized personal experience
traditional Native Am & African relgiions, often mixed w/ Christianity & other faiths
Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism (Asian) practiced in West Indies & coastal areas of SA
Judaism
sports
jai alai, soccer, basketball(Brazil), baseball(Dom. Rep.), vball
Panama Canal
inland waterway connecting Atlantic & Pacific
1903 panama signs treaty to create Panama Canal Zone
1904 construction begins. instead of cut, built system of locks
obstacles: volcanic soil, heat & rain(humidity), dense vegetation, disease-spreading insects(malaria), terrain
1914 completed. 1st ship passed thru
1999 transferred control to Panama
US Steps to Superpower Status
Industrial Rev. boosted way up
victory over Spain (Cuba freed); made Roosevelt famous
Panama Canal (Roosevelt motto); told Europe to stay away
16th Amendment - Income Tax. Industrial Rev. gave ppl more $ gov’t could use
WWI victory
Great Depression
WWII victory
Federal Reserve (cuz of depression) - bank for our nation’s banks; loosely affiliated
nukes
Amazon animals
loss of 1 species injures whole ecosystem
almost 1/2 of species found nowhere else
900+ bird species
2,000+ fish
Amazon River
source = Andes Mtns, Peru
every year, rains cause flooding; 1-6 miles to 30 miles+
2nd longest in world
longest in Western Hemisphere
Andes -> Atlantic Ocean
flooded forests
during wet season, waters can be 5-50 ft deep
waterways become natural highways
breadth = 60 miles
width up to 30 miles on each side
may rain during wet season up to 5 straight months
average rainfall = 100in
rapid evaporation
normal process when rain falls on ground is accelerated
4-5 times a day, rain showers; windows used by caboclos for repairs, etc.
humid, wet envrion
canopy catches rain, high alt = rapid evap
Spaniards
brought pigs (breed fast, swim well)
water monkey
fish
spawns during high water, males keep eggs in mouth until babies ready; babies then feed on algae, crustaceans of insects, etc & egg sac; father doesn’t feed 3-4 weeks(lives off fat in body); when danger, babies go back to dad’s mouth
feeds primarily on insects which usually fall in water - hunts by skimming surface; special eye structure allows to see above & below water
however, if bug doesn’t fall, the fish jumps out and catches it
hoatzin (“watson”)
chicks born at onset of flood, feed on partialy digested leaves regurgitated from parents
when abt 2 weeks old, explore under attentive eye of 2 or 3 adults
chicks = 2 claws on wings for better grasp on branches if necessary; can also dive in water & swim away (so nest built over water)
ungainly in air
found only in flooded forests & mangrove swamps
primarily leaf eaters
flooded forest resource use
hydroelectric dams
gold mines - mercury used to process the gold has spread into fish, therefore humans
rain forest
selva(Brazil)
trees - tropical hardwoods, palms, tree ferns, bamboos
tropical savanna climate
coast of southwestern Mexico, most Caribbean islands, north-central SA
hot temps & abundant rainfall
extended dry season
vast grasslands; some, like llanos, considered transition zones b/w grasslands & forests
humid subtropical region
much of southeaster SA
winters short & mild, summers long, hot, & humid but sometimes short dry periods
desert and steppe areas
parts of northern Mexcio, coastal Peru & Chile, & southeastern coast of Argentina
desert - vegetaton sparse except for cacti & some shrubs
steppe - northern Mexcio, northeastern Brazil, south central SA; light rainfall, hot summers, cool winters, grassy/lightly forested vegetation
Atacama Desert
produced by rain shadow effect from Andes
so arid that in some places no rainfall ever recorded
driest desert in LA
people
African, Native American, S Asain/SE Asain, Euopean, mixed
immigrant nations
Argentina & Uruguay
so many Europeans settled there in modern times
Europeans
late 1400s
Africans
1500s
arrived as slaves
late 1800s slavery ended
Asians
1800s
temporary workers but many remained
Caribbean islands, Guyana(abt 1/2)
outflow migration
desire for improved living conditions, political freedom, escape from political unrest can cause to move north to US
primarily from Mexcio, Central America, & Caribbean
traditional arts
weaving, woodcarving, pottery, metalwork
Native Am’s built temples decorated w/ murals & mosaics
during colonial times largely inspired by European works & had Christian themes
Africans - rhythms, songs, & dances -> today’s calypso, reggae, samba
modern arts
1900s mixed Euro, Nat, & Afr
many focused on social & political subj’s
machismo
Spanish & Portuguese tradition of male supremacy
Carnival
week before Roman Catholic Lent (40-day fasting & prayer before Easter)
history & gov’t
1800s most countries independent
20th century, most developed democratic rule
vegetation
predominant: tropical forest & tropical grassland
major sea
Caribbean
major strait
Strait of Magellan
major peninsula
Yucatan Peninsula
diff b/w tropical rain forest & savanna
savanna has dry season
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
1513 explored isthmus of Panama, wanted to build waterway but didn’t
Ferdinand de Lesseps
late 1800s French Suez Canal.
tried to cut through mountainous terrain of Panama isthmus but failed miserably
Philippe Jean Bunau-Varilla
1901 got help from Roosevelt who was willing to help if Colombia relinquished control.
Colombia refused, so Bunau-Varilla supported Panamanian revolutionaries & persuaded US to intervene. sent gunboats.
Bunau-Varilla = Panama’s minister to US, gave US control of land.
mountains
tallest in South & North Am: Mt. Aconagua(22,834ft) & Mt. McKinley(20,320ft)
“Christ the Redeemer” statue
in Rio de Janeiro
landlocked SA countries
Paraguay & Bolivia
Hispaniola
Haiti
Dominican Republic
Bolivia’s 2 capitals
La Paz & Sucre
