Latin America Unit Flashcards
Terraced farming
A farming method in which steep hillsides are fashioned into a step-like series of level terraces
Slash and burn agriculture
An agricultural technique that involves cutting and burning of forests to create fields
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)
A Mexican political party that held power in the country
Mestizo
A mixed race consisting the Spaniard race and the American Indian race
Immigration
The action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country
Emigration
To leave one’s own country in order to settle permanently in another
Maquiladora
A factory in Mexico run by a foreign company and exporting its products to the country of that company
Panama Canal
A canal across Panama that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Informal economy
A part of an economy that is not taxed, monitored, or included in GNP
Treaty of Tordesillas
A treaty that divided the newly discovered lands between Portugal and Spain
Pampas
Treeless plains in South America
Llanos
A treeless, grassy plain
Amazon River
A major South American River; the world’s second longest river
Deforestation
Clearing an area of forests or trees
Global warming
A gradual increase in the overall temperature of earth’s atmosphere
Debt for nature swap
A transaction in which a foreign exchange debt is transferred to another organization on the condition that the country use local currency for a designated purpose
Oligarchy
A small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution
Junta
A military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force
Caudillo
A military or political leader
Land reform
The statutory division of agricultural land and its reallocation to landless people
Income gap
Economic inequality is the difference between individuals or populations in the distribution of their assets, wealth, or income
Mercosur
A customs union between Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay
Why is Latin America called ‘Latin’?
Latin is the root language for Spanish and Portuguese
What are the subregions of Latin America?
Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, and South America
What are the two peninsulas of Mexico?
Baja California and Yucatan
What creates the mountain barrier in central Mexico?
Occidental Sierra Madre and Oriental Sierra Madre
Mesoamerica
A cultural region that extends from central Mexico through part of Central America
What are the Native civilizations that inhabited Central America?
Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Aztec
When did Mexico gain independence from Spain?
1821
What type of government does Mexico have?
Federal republic
Who is the president of Mexico?
Enrique Pena Nieto
How often are elections held for presidency in Mexico?
Every 6 years
What type of economy does Mexico have?
Mixed-free market economy
What is the unemployment rate for Mexico?
5.5%
What are some current issues in Mexico?
Income gap, emigration, drug cartels, and government corruption
What are some important physical features in Central America?
Isthmus of Panama and rugged highlands
Cultural crossroads
A place where different cultures interact
What two cultures are found in Central America?
Maya and Spanish
When did the United Provinces of Central America split?
1830s
What country in Central America was a formal British colony?
Belize
Archipelago
Cluster of islands
What cultures influenced the Caribbean?
Native, European, and African
What is the only communist nation in the Western Hemisphere?
Cuba
What are some examples of extreme weather in the Caribbean?
Hurricanes and earthquakes
What cultures influenced South America?
Incan, European, and African
What did Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin do?
Helped countries in South America gain independence
What are some environmental issues in South America?
Deforestation, slash and burn agriculture, loss of biodiversity, and climate regulation
