world geography chapter 9 vocabulary

indigenous

native to a place

urbanization

the movement of people from rural areas into cities

dialect

local form of a language used in a particular place or by a certain group

megacity

city with more than 10 million people

primate city

a city that dominates a country's economy, culture, and government and in which poprlation is concentrated; usually the capital

patois

dialects that blend elements of indigenous, European, African, and Asian languages

glyph

picture writing carved in stone

chinampas

floating faming islands made by the Aztec

quipo

knotted cords of various lengths and colors used by the Inca to keep financial records

conquistador

Spanish term for "conqueror," referring to soldiers who conquered Native Americans in Lantin America

viceroy

representative of the Spanish monarch appointed to enforce laws in colonial Latin America

caudillo

a Latin America political leader from the late 1800s on, often a military dictator

syncretism

a blending of beliefs and practices from different religious into one faith

mural

wall painting

mosaic

picture or design made with small pieces of colored stone, glass, shell, or tile

extended family

household made up of several generations of family members

malnutrition

faulty or inadequate nutrition

f�tbol

Spanish term for soccer

jai alai

traditional handball-type game popular with Mexicans and Cubans