Latin America Key Terms Flashcards
Slash-and burn agriculture
Farming method in which trees and other plants on a plot of land are cut down and burned and ash is used for fertilizer
Quetzal
Colorful tropical bird
Hieroglyphic
Symbol that stands for a word, idea, or sound
Basin
Bowl-shaped area
Chinampa
Artificial island built by the Aztecs
Dike
A wall a hold back water
Aqueduct
A canal or pipe that carries fresh water
Conquistador
Conqueror in Spanish; a leader in the Spanish conquests of America, Mexico and Peru in the Sixteenth century.
Encomienda
Right granted by the Spanish government to its American colonists to demand labor or tribute from American Indians
Penisular
In Spanish colonial America, a person born in Spain
Creole
A language that mixes two or more parent languages
Mestizo
In Spanish colonial America, a person of mixed Spanish and American Indian ancestry
Mulatto
In Spanish colonial America, a person of African and European descent
Columbian Exchange
Exchange of people, plants and animals and ideas between the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere
Nationalize
Government taking ownership of a company or industry
Embargo
A complete ban trade with a country
Diaspora
A movement of people from their homeland to other places
Cultural diffusion
The spread of cultural traits from one culture to another
Ecotourism
Tourism that focuses on the environment seeks to minimize environmental impact
Specialization
Act of concentrating on a limited number of goods or activities
Interdependence
The state of people or countries being dependent on one another
Infrastructure
Body of public works, such as roads, bridges, and hospitals, that a country needs to support a modern economy
Cartel
A group of businesses that control an industry
Digital divide
A wide gap in access to the internet
