1. C OLOMBIA VS. V ENEZUELA

2. C OLOMBIA ’ S H ISTORY 1500’s Spanish explorers arrived on the Caribbean Coast of South America. Spaniards claimed land for themselves. They founded colonies and cities along the coastal areas. By 1600’s the Spanish had set up estates. Forced Indians and Enslaved Africans to work the land Independence- 1700’s Struggle over how government would be run (Church Involvement?)

3. C ULTURE OF C OLOMBIA Religion: Roman Catholic Language: Spanish Ethnicity: 57% of Colombians are Mestizo

4. E CONOMY OF C OLOMBIA Major Export- Coffee 12% of World’s Coffee is Produced Here Crops- Bananas and Sugarcane Also export flowers 80% are shipped to the United States Emerald’s- most of world’s emerald’s come from Colombia

5. G OVERNMENT Guerrillas want/try to overthrow government. United States gives assistance to Colombia’s government President is Alvaro Uribe

6. V ENEZUELA 1500’s the Spanish came hoping to find treasures. Found nothing- turned to agriculture Forced Indians to do the work. Also brought in slaves. Simon Bolivar-led fight against Spanish. Won Independence in 1821 Venezuela officially independent 1830.

7. C ULTURE OF V ENEZUELA Religion: Roman Catholic Language: Spanish Ethnicity: Majority are Mestizo. Only 2% are Indian Indians- speak 25 different languages and have religious practices from their ancestors.

8. E CONOMY OF V ENEZUELA Oil Production 6 th largest exporter of oil in the world Most money from oil went to a wealthy few Gold

9. G OVERNMENT OF V ENEZUELA Ruled by dictatorships for many years. Elected their first president in 1959 Current President is Hugo Chavez Controversy

10. This is the official language for both Colombia and Venezuela Spanish

11. Venezuela is the 6 th largest exporter of this nonrenewable resource. OIL

12. Who led the fight against the Spanish in Venezuela? Simon Bolivar

13. This man is the current president of Venezuela. Hugo Chavez

14. 80% of flowers shipped to the United States come from this country. Colombia

15. The majority of people living in Colombia and Venezuela are of this ethnicity. Mestizo