What are the main languages spoken in Latin America?
Mostly Spanish, Portuguese in Brazil.
What were the Caudillos?
They were military leaders who were supported by the rich. They prevented true democracy from happening in Latin America.
Why is it hard to get goods out of Central America?
Rugged Mountains, Rain Forests, and Coastal Marshes make transportation very difficult.
What was the first Native American tribe that built a civilization in Latin America?
The Olmecs
What is a tributary?
A river or stream that flows into a larger river.
What does Colombia mine the best?
Emeralds
What is a pidgin language? What is an example?
A language that combines two different languages together. Creole, in Haiti, is an example because it combines French with an African language.
Describe the Amazon Rain forest.
World's largest rain forest, It has homes to more species of plants and animals per square mile than any other one in the world. Canopy can soar to 130 feet high.
What are Brazil's natural resources?
Rubber, Palm oil, and Brazil Nuts.
Which desert is very dry because no moisture passes it?
Atacama Desert
How did European rule change the populations of Latin America?
Europeans spread Christianity, spread new forms of government, and used Native Americans as workers to help grow their crops.
What natural resources do Venezuela and Mexico have more than most Latin American countries?
They have the most natural gas and oil reserves.
Most of Latin America is found in the tropics. Where are the tropics found and what are they like?
Mostly in between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, they have more rain forests.
What are the two most important geographical features of South America?
The Andes Mountain ranges and the Amazon River basin.
What is the El Nino effect?
When the Pacific Ocean becomes unusually warm, it bring lots of rainfall and flooding to Peru.
Who is the military leader that led the fight for independence for northern South America (Venezuela, Colombia, and more)?
Sim�n Bol�var
What country turned communist in 1959 when Fidel Castro took over?
Cuba
What three rivers form South America's second largest river system?
The Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay Rivers.
Describe the Andes Mountains???
World's largest Mountain system, 5,500 miles long and runs along the Pacific Coast.
What are three challenges that many Latin American countries face today?
A large gap between the rich and poor, a fast growing population, and transporting goods throughout their countries.
When do hurricanes hit the Caribbean?
It hits the Caribbean during June and November.
What happened in the 1980's?
Latin America turned against dictators.
What were some concerns about only producing one or two key crops for exporting?
The concern is that they could be overly produced which would bring the price down for the crop. They would also have to worry about a crop failing and ruining a country's economy.
Where are the Native Americans located in Latin America?
Mexico, Central America, and the Andes countries of Ecuador Peru, and Bolivia.
Why did Latin America have a huge debt and a bad economy in 1900s?
They took out loans from other countries
Where do most Latin American people live? why?
Along the coasts or an area reaching from Mexico to Central America because there is fertile land for farming.
Why do some Latin Americans migrate north to the United States?
To escape political unrest or to find a better way of life
What is terracing?
Carving a strip of land into a mountain to use for farming.
When did Haiti gain independence? How did this happen?
1804
Francois-Dominique Toussiant-Loverture led a slave rebellion against France.
Why did the African slave trade begin?
Hardships and disease killed off many Native Americans so Europeans brought enslaved Africans to work in the mines and the fields.
Why would people move from villages to cities in Latin America?
To find better jobs, schools, housing, and health care
When the U.S. freed Panama from Colombia what did they get in return?
The Panama Canal
Which religion has the most followers in Latin America?
Roman Catholic (Christian)
What are the most common languages spoken in the Caribbean?
English and French
What are three important accomplishments of the Mayans?
Created pyramids, created a calendar, and used hieroglyphics to record their history
What are two accomplishments of the Toltecs?
Created a capital city called Tula and controlled the obsidian trade throughout Mexico which gave them the best weapons.
What are two accomplishments of the Aztecs?
Created a large, island city called Tenochtitlan. This city had a population of over 250,000. Would later be defeated by the Spanish and Hernando Cortes.
What are two accomplishments of the Incas?
Created a huge empire up in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Built roads and bridges that linked empire to their capital city of Cuzco. They would later be defeated by Francisco Pizarro.
Who was Hernando Cortes?
Cortes is a Spanish Conquistador who helped defeat the Aztecs in Mexico and claim the land for Spain.
Who was Francisco Pizarro?
Pizarro was a Spanish Conquistador who helped defeat the Incas in Peru and claim the land for Spain.
What did the defeat of the Aztecs and Incas allow Spain to do?
It allowed Spain to create a huge empire that stretched from Mexico down through most of South America. They were able to control and trade many valuable resources.
Who is the military leader that led the fight for independence for southern South America (Argentina, Chile, and more)?
Jos� de San Mart�n
What is a canopy?
An umbrella like covering of leaves found in rain forests.
What are the pampas?
A highland region in Argentina that is used for farming and herding cattle.
What are the llanos?
Tropical grasslands that stretch through eastern Colombia and Venezuela used for farming and herding cattle.
What is an isthmus?
A narrow strip of land connecting two larger bodies of land. Panama is an example.
What is Middle America?
Mexico and Central America
What are the Greater Antilles?
Cuba, Jamaica, Hait, Dominican Republic
What are the Lesser Antilles?
A group of islands stretching from between the Dominican Republic and South America