Mexico – Early Civilizations Originally occupied by the Toltecs, Maya (Yucatan Peninsula), and the Aztecs Aztecs lived in Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) and practiced human sacrifice Conquered by Hernando Cortes Under Spanish rule, Mexico’s land was unevenly distributed

Government Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) helped introduce democracy and redistribute land to the peasants This one party controlled Mexico for 71 years In 2000, Vincente Fox was elected president which showed that Mexico was becoming more democratic

Economics Oil industry along the Gulf of Mexico is important Maquiladoras are important manufacturing industries that turn imported materials into finished goods for export, especially to the U.S.

Central America Mayan influence: pyramids and temples African influence: brought to the Caribbean to work on plantations Spanish, French, British, Dutch, and Danish claimed islands in the Caribbean to profit from the sugar trade First independence movement began as a slave revolt in Haiti led by Toussaint L’Ouverture Cuba followed achieving independence from Spain as a result of the Spanish-American War

Culture Religions: Catholic and Protestant, Santeria (African practices and rituals combined with Catholic elements) Voodoo is practiced in Haiti Rastafarianism (religious and political movement) in Jamaica Languages: Spanish, French (Haiti), English (dominates Jamaica), Dutch and Danish

Jobs Most people are poor as a result of colonialism Sugar cane is the largest export crop Bananas, citrus fruits, coffee, and spices are also exported Tourism is an important industry Informal economies: street vending, shining shoes provide people with small incomes

South America Inca: one of the greatest civilizations located in the Andes Mountains of Peru Conquered by Francisco Pizarro for gold and silver Quechua (language of the Inca) was overshadowed by the Spanish, as well as, their religion replaced by Catholicism **However, Quechua is still a lasting legacy of the Inca

Independence Two great leaders: Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin led independence movements in South America Many countries have been governed as an oligarchy or military rule since gaining independence from Spain Various countries failed to unify under common goals

Economics Chile has been successful in exporting fruits and vegetables to North America because it’s harvest occurs during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter It is an associate member of Mercosur an economic common market in South America, its goal is to promote free trade and create stability

Education South American countries have higher literacy rates than those of Central America and the Caribbean Chile’s literacy rate is close to 98%; however, higher education has suffered due to political unrest

Brazil To escape Napoleon’s armies in 1807, the Portuguese royal family sailed to Brazil, this made Brazil the heart of the Portuguese empire Treaty of Tordesillas divided South America between Spain and Portugal, giving Portugal Brazil Brazil gained independence when a petition was signed asking the son of Portugal’s king to grant independence

Culture Brazil has been more successful in blending its ethnic groups They have the largest Japanese population outside Japan Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world

Economics Brazil is the 10 th largest economy in the world It is a leading maker of automobiles Over half of its cars use ethanol made from sugar cane, which is less expensive than imported oil (although Brazil has large reserves of oil) Because many people live on the exterior of the country, the government is encouraging movement into the interior to develop its many resources

Life in Brazil Carnival takes place in the streets of Rio de Janeiro where people dance to the samba Capoeira is a martial art dance developed from African origins Rio de Janeiro also has a widening gap between rich and poor causing favelas (slums), crime, and drugs

Carnival

Capoeira