BR: T2D16 Mexico Cuba Haiti Dominican Republic Puerto Rico (U.S.) Belize As a review, try to fill out the following map of Latin America as best as you can! Use a pencil, so that you can correct it if wrong ;) Key: Honduras Guatemala Jamaica Nicaragua French Guiana (Fr.) El Salvador Venezuela Costa Rica Suriname Panama Guyana Colombia Ecuador Peru Brazil Brazil Guyana Guatemala Argentina Suriname Honduras Chile French Guiana (France) Belize Uruguay El Salvador Puerto Rico (US) Paraguay Nicaragua Bolivia Dominican Republic Costa Rica Peru Panama Haiti Ecuador Jamaica Colombia Cuba Venezuela Mexico Bolivia Chile Paraguay Argentina Uruguay

World Geography Today we learn a bit more about Latin America, especially its colonial history.

Early History The first people to arrive in the Americas likely came from Siberia, although DNA shows that some of them were Polynesians as well. Theories have changed as new evidence comes to light; VID. As time passed, several different advanced civilizations developed that we know of. One of the earliest are the Olmec, who were in Southern Mexico from 1500 BCE to 300 BCE. Their cities specialized in different activities (one might be lumber production, another crop production, etc.), so they depended upon each other. Some cities produced jade and obsidian, used in making weapons and jewelry.

The Maya The next advanced civilization to arise in Latin America were the Maya, in Mexico as well. They arose a bit later, from 300 CE to 900 CE. They also worked the nearby jade and other stone like the Olmec had. VID The Maya built beautiful pyramids, were advanced in their knowledge of astronomy and developed a calendar, as well as their own number and writing system called hieroglyphics. Sadly, they mysteriously vanished around 900 CE. It is one of the great mysteries of Latin America as to why. VID, VID

After the Maya After the fall of the Maya, several other civilizations arose. The Toltec arose in Northern Mexico around 1000 CE, and were a fierce warrior people. They were in power until 1200 CE, when the Aztecs took over the Toltec empire. They built a new capital, Tenochtitlan, in the middle of a lake, with huge temples, canals, floating gardens, etc. It was a sight to behold. VID The arrival of the Spanish in the 1400- 1500s ended the reign of the Aztecs.

The Inca The Inca were another group that was powerful from ~1200-1532 CE. They were located in South America, in the Andes Mountains. They had many amazing accomplishments: They united over 100 different ethnic groups under a class system They had quipus, a form of “writing” where they recorded info with cords & knots They created terraces to farm the mountainsides They had over 15,000 miles of road, with suspension bridges made from grass! VID

Destruction & Colonization Sadly, they were destroyed by the Spanish as well. Francisco Pizarro leads the Spaniards to destroy the Incas. Thanks to their guns, horses, steel, and of course diseases they bring with them, the natives are destroyed within two years. The Spanish now controlled tons of wealth and land, having destroyed the two major forces that might oppose them in Latin America. Meanwhile, the Portuguese, Dutch, and English and French also came and took some smaller pieces, but Spain got the lion’s share. So how did things change? The Europeans settled and mixed with the local populations, or replaced them. The natives were converted to Christianity / Catholicism, and used to grow cash crops, or plants that could be sold for lots of money, things like sugarcane, spices, etc. As the native populations were often wiped out by this labor / slavery, they needed a new source of workers. Africans replaced the Native Americans as slaves, which explains the large African populations throughout Latin America today (Examples: Jamaica, Brazil, etc) VID

Legacy of Slavery in America I’d like you to consider the legacy of slavery / colonization here in our very own United States. You can look at it from many different angles (DUE: T2D18 / Monday) How the Native Americans are relegated to reservations, with huge problems of alcoholism, etc. #BLM, with huge problems (perceived or otherwise) regarding incarceration / police brutality against blacks, etc. See the Assignments for more options. You are either: A- Creating an Editorial Letter: DesNews Or B – Creating a Political Cartoon: Mr. Wright Explains, examples: Tax Plan, etc.