CH. 7 SOUTH AMERICA GEOGRAPHY & HISTORY SECTION 1: GEOGRPAHY

PHYSICAL GEOGRPAHY Andes Mountains are a string of mountain ranges that stretch about 5,500 miles along the western side of the continent. The Amazon River Basin is the largest river basin on Earth. It covers nearly 2,700,000 square miles in the north central part of South America- nearly the width of the continent. The Llanos or grasslands are wide open areas used for grazing and crops. The Guiana Highlands in the north boast unusual plants and animals.

PHYSICAL GEOGRPAHY The highest waterfall in the world, Angel Falls, is located in Venezuela. The rich soil of the grassy plain in Argentina called the Pampas is ideal for growing alfalfa, corn, and wheat.

THE AMAZON RIVER The Amazon River begins high in the Andes Mountains of Peru and flows east for 4,000 miles and empties in the Atlantic Ocean. It has more than 1,000 tributaries or small rivers that drain into a larger river. Although it is the 2nd longest river, it is the largest by volume. The floodwaters occurs between June & October, deposits rich nutrients in the lowlands. Today mining, logging, farming, and land development threatens the Amazon.

COLD & WARM CURRENTS Cold wind flow from the South Pole toward the equator, making the west coast cool & dry. Warm wind flow from the equator toward the South Pole & creates a warm & humid climate on the east coast. The Peru Current brings cold waters to the Pacific Coast in the west. The Brazil Current brings warm waters from the Atlantic. Atacama Desert, located on the western side of the Andes, lies in a rain shadow. A dry region on one side of a mountain range.

COLD & WARM CURRENTS El Nino happens when the usual wind and ocean currents reverse. The reversal brings high rainfall around the coast of Peru. Does not happen ever year, but does happen once every 12 years. It is difficult to predict and bring cause severe flooding.

SECTION 2: HISTORY

THE INCA The Inca Empire stretched along the Pacific coast, modern day Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile & Argentina. The Inca’s was the largest & most advanced civilization in South America until being conquered by the Spanish. (1438- 1530s) The emperor- called the Spa Inca- was considered a descendant of the sun god. Within the Inca society, families were organized into groups bases on kinship, or blood relationship and common land ownership.

THE INCA The Inca had advance knowledge of engineering. Example, they farmed on terraced fields, or flat fields cut into slopes or mountainsides. Also built a system of roads throughout their empire. Machu Picchu was a complex city built on a mountain in the 1400s. By the 1530s, the empire faced internal problems and the arrival of the Spanish conquered them in 1532. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNQ8rmlGC8Q

What did the Incas call the emperor? The Spa Inca

PEOPLE OF THE LOWLANDS The Lowland or low-lying areas of South America include Orinoco River and surrounding grasslands, the Amazon River Basin, & the Paraguay River Basin. At first, lowland people were nomads, people who move from place to place. As early as 3000 B.C., people began to farm the land & build villages in the lowlands. The Guarani people lived in the eastern & central lowlands on the Paraguay & Parana Rivers. Slash & Burn is a agriculture technique that cleared the land by cutting down and burning existing forest and vegetation.

PEOPLE OF THE LOWLANDS Another group, the Tupinamba, settled near the mouth of the Amazon and southward along the Atlantic coast. They also used the slash & burn technique. Today, indigenous groups continue to live in the rain forest throughout the Amazon River Basin. The Yanomami are still hunter-gathers who use the slash & burn technique.

THE SPANISH IN SOUTH AMERICA In 1949 in order to avoid conflicts, Spain & Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, this divided the land of South America between the two. In 1533, Francisco Pizarro and a small army overthrew the Incas. Deadly diseases would wipe out entire villages and native populations in South America. Many native were enslaved and forced to work on plantations and in mines. Missionaries arrived in the 1550s to spread Christianity. Much of South America today practices some from of Christianity.

BRAZIL & THE SLAVE TRADE Portugal arrived in Brazil in 1500 and conquered it several decades later. The Portuguese tried enslaving the natives but soon overworked and diseases killed them, they then began using slaves from Africa. The Portuguese were able to create a monopoly of the slave trade that lasted well into the 19th century. Brazil was able to declare for independence in 1822. Although the slave trade ended in 1850, slavery continued in Brazil until it was abolished in 1888.

SIMON BOLIVAR & INDEPENDENCE Most of South America was ruled by the Spanish for more than 300 years. Simon Bolivar lead the revolt against the Spanish for all of South America. Present day Bolivia is named in his honor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HFiSUjEzVs