1. Unit 3 Latin America

2. Section 1: The Physical Geography of Latin America

3. Mexico Mountains dominate Mexico
Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Oriental
Sierra Madre del Sur
Central Plateau: makes up more than half of the country’s area
Most of Mexico’s people live in the plateau region

4. Central America Central America is an isthmus
Isthmus: a narrow strip of land that has water on both sides and joins two larger bodies of land.
Narrow plains run along the coasts
Between the plains are mountains
More then a dozen (12) of these mountains are active volcanoes

5. The Panama Canal Human made waterway
Stretches across the Isthmus of Panama
Purpose is to shorten travel time between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean

6. The Caribbean The Caribbean is made up of two types of islands
Smaller islands are made up of coral (tiny sea animals that over hundreds of years meld together to create a rocklike substance)
Larger islands are the tops of huge underwater mountains

7. The Caribbean Breakdown
The Greater Antilles:
Larger islands (Cuba Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica)
The Lesser Antilles:
An archipelago: a group of islands
From the Virgin Islands down to Trinidad
The Bahamas
Another archipelago

8. South America Andes Mountains run along the western coast.
2nd highest mountain range in the world
World’s longest mountain system

9. South America Highlands are located in Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana
The Brazilian Highlands end in an escarpment
Steep cliff at the edge of a plateau with a lowland area below

10. South America
The Amazon River Basin contains the largest tropical rain forest in the world
This rainforest covers more than 1/3 of South America

11. South America
Pampas are flat grassland regions that are very similar to the Great Plains of the U.S.
Located in Argentina and Uruguay

12. South America Patagonia
Located in the southernmost part of Argentina and Chile
Made up of the Andes Mountains, plains, plateaus, and glaciers

14. South America from Space

15. Rivers and Lakes Amazon River second longest river in the world
Flows 4,000 miles from Peru across Brazil
Contains about 20% of all the fresh water on Earth
Collects more than 1,000 tributaries
Tributaries: the rivers and streams that flow into a larger river.

16. Rivers and Lakes
The Rio de la Plata is made up of the Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay rivers.
Form the 2nd largest river system in Latin America
The 3 rivers flow into an estuary
An area where river currents and ocean tides meet

17. Rivers and Lakes Venezuela has the Orinoco River and Lake Maracaibo
Lake Titicaca is located in the Andes mountains
Highest lake in the world

18. Section 2: Latin America Climate and Natural Vegetation

19. A Varied Climate and Vegetation
Latin America’s broad range of climate, vegetation due to 3 factors:
it spans great distances on either side of the equator
it has big changes in elevation due to the mountains
its climate’s affected by both warm Atlantic, cold Pacific currents

21. Tropical Climate Zones
Tropical Wet
Rain forests—dense forests with different species of trees
hot and rainy all year
unique ecosystem—community of plants, animals living in balance
Largest is Brazil’s Amazon rain forest with 2 million square miles
2,500 types of Amazon trees
animals include anaconda, jaguar, piranha
Tropical Wet and Dry
hot with seasonal rain
Savannas found in Brazil, Colombia, Argentina

22. Dry Climate Zones Semiarid Dry climate with some rain
home to vast, grass-covered plains or desert shrubs
found in Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina
Desert
Found in north Mexico, coast of Peru, north Chile’s Atacama Desert
parts of Argentina’s southern Patagonia are desert
Vegetation is mostly shrubs growing in gravel or sand

23. Mid-Latitude Climate Zones
Humid Subtropical
Rainy winters and hot, humid summers; varied vegetation
parts of Paraguay, Uruguay, south Brazil and Bolivia, north Argentina
Mediterranean
Hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters
vegetation is chaparral (drought-resistant trees)
this is the climate of part of Chile along the west coast
climate similar to that of California

24. Mid-Latitude Climate Zones
Marine West Coast
Cool, rainy winters and mild, rainy summers; forest vegetation
occurs in southern Chile and Argentina
similar to the climate of Oregon or Washington
Highlands
Varies from moderate to cold due to elevation, wind, sun, landscape
found in mountains of Mexico and South America

28. “A Blending of Cultures”
Human Geography of Latin America
“A Blending of Cultures”

29. Mexico Political

30. Mexico Physical

31. Central america Political

32. Central america physical

33. Caribbean Islands political

34. Caribbean islands physical

35. South America political

36. South america physical

37. Section 3: Mexico Places & Terms
Spanish Conquest: The conquering of the Native Americans by the Spanish.
Tenochtitlan: Ancient Aztec capital
Mestizo: People of mixed Spanish & Native American heritage
Maquiladoras: Factories in Mexico that turn imported materials into finished products for export.
NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

38. Section 3: Mexico Native Americans & the Spanish Conquest
The rich fabric of native life in Mexico was torn apart by the Spanish conquest. In 1519 Hernando Cortes landed on the coast of Mexico & marched until he reached the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan (present day Mexico City). By 1521 he & his soldiers had conquered the Aztecs.
Until 1821 Mexico remained apart of the Spanish Empire.
Spanish influence still remains in Mexico with it’s language & Catholic religion.
Mexico has large mestizo population – people of mixed Spanish & Native American heritage.

39. Cortes’ route to conquering the aztecs

40. Section 3: Mexico Economics: Cities & Factories
Mexico continues to struggle with two main economic challenges.
1. Attempting to close a long-standing gap between the rich & the poor. (Haves & Have Nots)
2. Attempting to develop a modern industrial economy.
Many people are moving to the cities seeking jobs, largely abandoning their farming roots.
Most factories or Maquiladoras’ are located along the border of the US. (Why? Think NAFTA)

41. Section 3: Central America & The Caribbean
Places & Terms
Cultural hearth: Heartland or place of origin of a major culture.
Panama Canal: Ship canal cut through Panama connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean.
Reggae: Music developed in Jamaica in the 1960’s. Blends African, Caribbean, & American music often dealing with social and religious problems.

42. Section 3: Central America & The Caribbean
Central America is know as a cultural hearth as well as a crossroads.
The Mayan Indians built a great civilization that spread throughout the region. What exactly happened to the Mayan people still remains very much a mystery.

43. Section 3: Central America & The caribbean
Although Central America was ruled by Spain, the Caribbean was settled & claimed by many European powers.
In addition, with disease brought over by the Europeans that killed many of the native peoples, Africans were brought over to work as slaves further blending the cultural exchange.
Sugar remains an important crop in the Caribbean to this day as well as citrus fruits.
The Panama Canal connects the two great oceans making Panama a crossroads of world trade.

44. Section 4: Spanish-Speaking south America
Places & Terms
Inca: People of South America who built a civilization in the Andes Mountains. (conquered by Francisco Pizarro in 1533)
Quechua: Language of the Inca Empire. Now spoken in the Andes highlands.
Mercosur: Economic common market that began operating in the southern cone of South America in (think NAFTA for South America)

45. Section 4: Spanish-Speaking south America
One of the greatest civilizations of the Americas arose in the rugged Andes Mountains of Peru. They were later conquered by Francisco Pizarro in 1533.

46. Section 4: Spanish-Speaking south america
The Mercosur Trade Group
Economic common market that began in South America in 1995.
Goals include:
Make member economies more stable
Increase trade within the region
Channel some profits to groups who need it most

47. Section 4 South America Population density and distribution
Most of the population lives on the countries coast lines
Sao Paulo, Rio de Janerio, and Bueno Aires ranked in the top 15 largest cities in the world

49. Section 4: Brazil Places & Terms
Treaty of Tordesillas: Treaty between Spain & Portugal in 1494 that gave Portugal control over the land that is present day Brazil.
Carnival: The most colorful feast day in Brazil.(think Mardi Gras)
Samba: Brazilian dance with African Influences.

51. Section 4: Brazil
The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) gave Portugal control over much of the land that became present-day Brazil. South America became a continent divided into the Spanish speaking west & the Portuguese-speaking east.

52. Section 4: Brazil Brazilian Life Today
The most colorful feast day in Brazil is Carnival. Floats and parade through the streets of Rio de Janeiro and people dance to the music of the samba.
There is a widening gap between the rich & the poor much like other Latin American countries resulting in crime waves and drug abuse.