Central America Geography December 1 and 2, 2016 Physical Geography Geography December 1 and 2, 2016

UNIT 3 – Chapter 9: Central America Objective: Students will analyze and interpret graphs pertaining to Central America and detail its significance in the Western Hemisphere Essential Question: How are landforms created? How does culture effect a population? How can conflicts arise because of the diffusion of culture in an area? Why do cultures sometimes conflict with one another?

Notebooks

Do Now Topic: Ancient Mayan Saying What do you think this ancient Maya saying suggests about the Maya’s view of nature? “Who cuts the trees as he pleases cuts short his own life.” Write a response to this. What do you think this means?

Countries of Central America There are 7 countries in this region: Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama

Map of Central America

Early History Similar to Mexico. [People of Maya descent live in Guatemala]. 1500s Europeans begin colonizing the region. [Spain] 1600s British arrive and colonize. Colonists started plantations. [Sugarcane and Tobacco]. Indians forced to work plantations. Africans brought in later as slaves.

Early History

Late 1800s: Britain leaves Nicaragua Independence 1821: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua from Spain. 1903: Panama from Columbia. Late 1800s: Britain leaves Nicaragua 1981: British Honduras becomes Belize

Roman Catholicism: Most common religion in region. Culture Mestizo: Region’s largest ethnic group. [People of mixed European and Indian ancestry] Spanish: Official language in most countries. [Many people speak Indian languages] Roman Catholicism: Most common religion in region.

Culture [Cont.] Shares many traditional foods with Mexico. Tomatoes, hot peppers, and cacao are native to region. Celebrate special saints’ feast days. Government: Countries have been rules by dictators, but today region’s countries have elected governments.

Closure Topic: Ecotourism Explain how Ecotourism can be important to a country, such as Costa Rica? Page 186

Caribbean Islands Geography December 7 and 8, 2016 Physical Geography Geography December 7 and 8, 2016

Caribbean Islands Objective: Essential Question: Examine and differentiate the various cultural, economic, and political aspects of the Caribbean Islands by comparing and contrasting information. Essential Question: What were the cause and consequences of European Colonization?

Do Now Topic: Cacao and Cardamom Read the definitions of Cacao and Cardamom in your textbook on page 184 & 185. Q-What do the words have in common? One is a cocoa bean and the other is a spice native to India. Q-Speculate how an Indian spice might have become widely used in Central America

Closure Topic: Comparisons Q-What is one thing at least 3 Caribbean countries have in common? History, Government / Economic, Culturally? Be specific! I don’t accept answers like this: “They have similar government, history, economy, and culture…” I accept answers more like this: “Haiti, Cuba, and Dominican Republic have a history of governments following a … style…”

Caribbean Islands Cultural History Physical Geography Geography December 9 and 12, 2016

Caribbean Islands Cultural History Objective: Analyze the various cultural aspects of the Caribbean Islands and understand the unique history by researching vocabulary terms. Essential Question: What were the cause and consequences of European Colonization? How have dictators influenced the region. Why did dictators influence the region, moreso than other areas? Why are many areas less developed than others?

Do Now Topic: Dictators Look up the term Dictator in your textbook on page 184. Q-What is a dictator? Q-What happens to a dictators opponents? Q-Why do you think dictators flourished in Central America / The Caribbean more than other places? Examine the map on page 179.

Culture

Culture Most islanders are of African or European descent or are a mixture of the two (Mulattos). Mixtures of European, English, French, and African languages spoken on the islands. Ex. Haitians – French & Creole. Protestant Christianity most numerous religion. Santeria – Combination of Catholicism & African religions.

Foods, Festivals, and Music Most celebrated holiday: Carnival. A time of feasts & parties before the Christian season of Lent. Music: Calypso Music – Trinidad & Tobago. Reggae Music – Jamaica Merengue – Dominican Republic

Closure Topic: Ch. 9 Tripod Provide a “Vocabulary Tripod” to one vocabulary term from Chapter 9 of your choosing. Word: Define An Example Use in a Sentence Example: Strait: A narrow passage way that connects two bodies of water. [Define] Tierra del Fuego [Example] Magellan was looking for a strait when sailing around the world that connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans [Sentence]

Cuba Largest and most populated country. Capital: Havana. Communist Govt. since Fidel Castro seized power in 1959. Has supported Communist guerrilla movements trying to overthrow other govts. Many Cubans who oppose Castro have become refugees in the US. US Govt. has banned trade with Cuba and citizens cannot visit. Most farmland organized into cooperatives. Govt. owns all land.

Haiti Occupies the mountainous west of Hispaniola. Poorest country in the Americas. Dense population. Suffers from many corrupt Govts. Many Haitian refugees have come to the US to escape poverty & political violence. Capital: Port-au-Prince. Economy: Sugar & Coffee. Grow Plantains – type of banana. Severe tsunami in 2003 devastated country. Haiti

Puerto Rico Puerto Ricans are US Citizens but with no voting power. Eastern Greater Antilles. Once a Spanish Colony, today it is a US Commonwealth – Self-governing territory associated with another country. Puerto Ricans are US Citizens but with no voting power. Unemployment high and wages low. Debate on independence or the 51st state.

Dominican Republic Occupies eastern Hispaniola. Former Spanish Colony. Capital: Santo Domingo. First permanent European settlement in the Western Hemisphere. Not a wealthy country. Suffers from low economy, education, healthcare, and housing. Main economy: tourism & agriculture.

Activity: h