Latin America

Culture Mestizos-people whose ancestry includes both indigenous and Spanish heritage In Mexico and other Central American countries many people live with their extended families which include different generations as well as cousins During the colonial period indigenous beliefs and Catholicism blended in syncretism Most Argentinians are descended from Spanish and Italians

Culture Many migrants to São Paulo, Brazil, end up living in favelas on the outskirts of the city with no sanitation Suriname and Guyana have the larges South Asian populations

Economic Maquiladoras-foreign owned factories located in Mexico along the border with the United States Columbian Exchange- transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases Central America has exacted laws that require the reforestation of cleared lands promoting sustainable development In Central America, most industrial employment occurs in cottage industries. The leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest is cattle ranching

Economic The intensive plantation agricultural use of Caribbean Islands has led to soil erosion When a large urban area such as Mexico City dominates the country’s political, cultural, economic affairs t is called a primate city. Even though the Spanish and Portuguese came in search of gold, Mexico is the world’s leading producer of silver

Physical Geography Elevation affects the climate and ecosystems of some parts of Central America more than distance from the Equator. Such areas have vertical climate zones in which animals, plants, and climates change as altitude increases. The tierra caliente, or “hot land,” lies at elevations below 2,500 feet (762 m). Bananas and sugarcane are grown here. The tierra templada, or “temperate land,” lies between 2,500 to 6,000 feet (762 to 1,829 m) and is the most densely populated. Ecosystems with broadleaf evergreens at lower altitudes give way to evergreens at upper elevations. Land at 6,000 to 10,000 feet (1,829 to 3,048 m) is known as the tierra fria, or “cold land.” Winter frosts are common here, and potatoes and barley are grown. Above the tree line is the tierra helada, or “frozen land.” This is an area of permanent ice and snow.

Physical Geography Because of its location in the Ring of Fire much of Central America is mountainous with active volcanos Many indigenous communities in South America developed as isolated groups because they were separated by the natural barriers created by the Andes Mountains The rugged interior of the South American continent has discouraged settlement therefore most South Americans live along rivers or near the coast

History The Mays’s were an early civilization that existed in Mexico and engaged in long- distant trade and built huge stone cities but disappeared before the Spanish arrived The Inca were skilled engineers who built a network of roads through the Andes Hernan Cortes led the Spanish forces that invaded and conquered the Aztec in Mexico Cuba achieved its independence from Spain as a result of the Spanish-American War Along with Simon Bolivar, Jose de San Martin was a leader for South American Independence