1. Caribbean South America
Chapter 9
Caribbean South America

2. Map

3. Vocabulary
Cordillera, is a mountain system made up of roughly parallel ranges
Tepuis, is an unusual flat-topped formation
Gurrillas, or members of an irregular military force
Llaneros, or Venezuelan cowboys
Strike, a group of workers stopping until their demands are met
Referendum, or recall vote

4. Section 1
Physical Geography

5. Further Research Orinoco River Angel Falls World’s largest waterfall
Flows for 1,700 miles
Flows through Venezuela and between Venezuela and Colombia
Hydro-electric plants are built on the river
Computers help direct electricity to steel mills and aluminum plants and distinct cities
Home to Indians
Home to the world’s largest rodent
World’s largest waterfall
Is named after Jimmy Angel who was a pilot and saw the waterfall for the first time in 1933
Drops more than 3,200 feet
Since the height is so high the water turns into fog before it hits the bottom

6. Physical Features and Wildlife
Mountains and Highlands
Plains, Rivers, and Wildlife
Highest point in Colombia
The Andes reach 8,000 ft and form a cordillera
Venezuela’s highest point is the Guiana Highlands, resists erosion
The tepuis rises about 6,000 ft, about the plains.
Llanos, grassland without many trees
Orinoco flows about 1,600 miles
Caucat and Magalena are two other important rivers
Lots of wildlife; 100’s of bird species, piranhas, and crocodiles
One of world’s highest concentrations of plants and animal species
Jagurs, ocelots, and species of monhies

7. Climate and Vegetation
Most of the region has warm temperatures year-round because it’s near the equator
Temperature varies with elevation
The Llanos region has a tropical savanna climate.
Rainforests thrive in southern Colombia
Southern Colombia is part of the Amazon Basin. Here rain falls throughout the year.

8. Resources
Caribbean South America is a rich agricultural region because of its soil and moderate climates.
Major crops- rice, coffee, bananas, and sugarcane.
Resources- oil, iron ore, and coal.
Forests throughout the region provide timber.
The seas provide fish and shrimp.
The region’s major rivers are used to generate hydroelectric power.
Venezuela’s Canaima National Park covers about 3 million acres of eastern Venezuela.
One of the world’s largest national parks.
Angel falls is the world’s highest waterfalls (drops 3,200ft.).

9. Assessment Questions
1a) Where are the Andes located?
1b) How are the rock formations called tepuis unusual?
The Andes are located on the west side of Colombia.
The tepuis are unusual because they are sandstone layers that have resisted erosion; thus making the landscape unusual and different.

10. 1c) Why do the Llanos in Columbia and Venezuela flood easily?
2a) In the Andes, how does the temperature change with elevation?
The Llanos in Colombia and Venezuela flood easily because they are mostly grassland and have a low elevation.
The temperature in the Andes changes with elevation. The higher you go the colder it gets. The snow-capped peaks are also active volcanos.

11. Venezuela and Colombia both have large oil-rich areas.
2b) How does the region’s location near the equator affect it’s climate?
3a) What is the major resource in both Venezuela and Columbia?
Being closer to the equator would make the temperature warm all year long and not really have seasons.
Venezuela and Colombia both have large oil-rich areas.

12. The areas major rivers provide them with hydroelectric power.
3b) Which resource provides hydroelectric power?
The areas major rivers provide them with hydroelectric power.

13. Section 2
Colombia

14. Further Research
Giants mounds of Earth, mysterious statues, and tombs are the marks of ancient people
Important cities are
Cali
Bogota
Medellin
Barranquilla

15. Graphic Organizer Government Holidays
Having trouble with guerilla rebels
Enforcing laws against them
New Years
Epiphani
St. Josephs Day
Easter
Labor Day
Ascension of Jesus
Corpus Christ
Declaration of Independence

16. Current Events
Sports
14 rebels killed in military raid
Colombia president deploys 50,000 troops after protest
9 die in bomb blast
Main sport is soccer
Tejo, a Colombian original sport

17. Resources
Gold
Coffee
Bananas
Cotton
Sugarcane

18. Colombia’s History The Chibcha Spanish Conquest
The Chibcha were metal workers, potters, and weavers.
Chibcha made the legend of El Dorado
The Chibcha made the drug called Cocaine
In the 1500s the Spanish arrived in South America
The Spanish conquered the Chibcha and found treasure
Spain founded colonies in the Caribbean Coast
Carta Gena was a major naval base and commercial port
Spanish set up large estates in Colombia
South Americans and Africans worked there

19. Independence In the 1700s people began struggling for independence
After they claimed independence, they formed the Gran Columbia
The Republic of Gran Colombia included Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
In the republic dissolved
After the republic resolved, New Granada formed
They debated if the Roman Catholic Church should participate in government and education
Outbreaks of violence occurred throughout the 1800s and 1900s killed thousands

20. Colombia Today Colombia Today Bogota is Colombia’s capitol
People and Culture
Bogota is Colombia’s capitol
More than 40 years of civil war have been destructive to it’s economy
Most Colombians live in fertile valleys and river basins among the mountain ranges
The geography of Colombia isolates people

21. Economy Civil War Major exports include bananas, sugarcane, and cotton
Many farms produce flour
Columbia’s major export is oil
More exports are iron ore, gold, and coal
Most emeralds come from Columbia
Guerrillas forced farmers off their land
Thousands flee the country because of the war
Guerrillas use the coca plant to make cocaine
The United States provides assistance to Columbia
Columbia is the recipients of US aid
The fighting has lasted 40 years
Columbia is the number one country in the world to produce and traffic cocaine

22. Assessment Questions
1a) Who were the Chibcha?
1b) Why did Spain want land in Colombia?
The Chibcha were a Native American tribe before the Spanish killed them.
The Spanish wanted land in Colombia because they wanted to expand their new empire.

23. 2a) What factors make Colombia ideal for growing coffee?
2b) In what part of the country do most Colombians live?
Factors that make Colombia good for growing coffee are it’s rich soils, steep slopes, and tall shade trees.
Most Colombians live in the fertile valleys and river basins at the ridges of mountains. The climate is moderate which is good for farming.

24. 2c) How might Colombia solve the problem of guerrillas trying to control the country?
They could continue to make more laws against them, or start arresting them. The U.S. could help out some more.

25. Venezuela and the Guianas
Section 3
Venezuela and the Guianas

26. Further Research
Fiesta De Las Cruces – Honors the Holy Cross of May in the states of Mirands and Aragua as it’s patriots
Federation Day – Marks the start of the 4 year long federal war
Current president: Nicolas Maduro
Federal Republic
Presidential system
Federation and socialist state
Exports are:
Petroleum
Steel
Agricultural products
Sports are soccer and baseball
Venezuela won 7th Miss Universe contest
New national holiday celebrating Hugo Chaves
Caracas is the capitol
Maracaibo is the largest populated city
Other key cities are
Valencia
Barquisimeto

27. Venezuela People and Culture Spanish Settlement and Colonial Rules
Conquered by Spanish in early 1500’s
Forced Indians to work hard; many died
Spanish brought Africans to the Indians places
Venezuela people descended from Native Indians, Europeans, and Africans
Indians make up 2% of population
Most people are Spanish speaking Roman Catholics

28. Independence and Self Rule Economy and Natural Resources
Bolivar helped win Venezuela’s independence from Spain in 1821
Through 1800’s Venezuela suffered from dictatorship and civil wars
Leaders kept the county’s oil money for themselves
1960 Venezuela began earing huge sums of money from oil production
Big population still lives in poverty
Economy is based on oil production

29. Government
Suffered years of dictatorship; finally got president in 1959
Since then, government has dealt with economic turmoil and political protests
People wanted president to resign, he returned

30. Guianas
The countries of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana are together known as the Guianas.
Tropical rain forests cover much of this region.
Guyana comes from a South American Indian word that means “land of waters.”
About one-third of the country’s population lives in Georgetown.
Guyana’s lands are flat, fertile plains along the coast.
Immigrants came to work on the sugar plantations.
Today, they have small plots of land for small businesses.
About 1/3 of the population are decedents from former African slaves.

31. Suriname has similar resources and economy of Guyana.
They have a diverse population.
Population is made up of South Asians, Africans, Chinese, Indonesians, and Creoles.
Capitol is Paramaribo, it is half the population.
French Guiana is a French territory.
It’s population is about 200,000 people.
Two-thirds of the population is African.
Other types of people are Europeans, Asians, and South American Indians.
They depend heavily on imports.

32. Assessment Questions Spanish came hoping to find gold and pearls.
1a) What did Spanish settlers hope to find in Venezuela?
1b) Who led Venezuela’s revolt against Spain?
Spanish came hoping to find gold and pearls.
Simon Bolivar led Venezuela’s revolt against Spain.

33. They earn huge sums of money through oil production.
2a) What does the landscape of Caracas include?
2b) How is oil important to Venezuela’s economy?
Caracas consists of modern subway systems, busy expressways, and tall office buildings.
They earn huge sums of money through oil production.

34. They went on strike because they wanted the president to resign.
2c) Why did some Venezuelans go on strike?
3a) What are Guyana’s agricultural lands and products like?
They went on strike because they wanted the president to resign.
They are located on flat, fertile plains.

35. 3b) How is population of the Guianas different from that of Columbia and Venezuela?
Guiana’s population is diverse and Columbia and Venezuela are not diverse