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Lesson 1 Physical Geography

Defining Latin America

Latin America : Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America

Latin America uses language derived from Latin

Culture region : same languages & Religion

Mexico : northern most point of Latin America

Physical features : mountains, plateaus, and planes

Mexico

South of Mexican highest peaks are volcano

Movement of 5 tectonic plates -> Volcanic activities & earthquakes

Mexico City problem with location

- Mountains surrounding city trap pollutants

- Drained lakebed ground with too soil sends earthquake vibration much stronger

Central America

Central America feature : consist of most hills & mountains covered by forests

Lowlands : Rain forest

Higher region : deciduous trees cloak slopes

Two tectonic plates crash Central America's Pacific coast each other -> Earthquake & landslides/mudslides in America

The Caribbean Islands

East of Central America : volcanic mountains rising from ocean floor

Other island : began as coral reefs, usually encircles volcanic island and grows over it

South America

Equator runs through Ecuador & Colombia & Brazil

Isthmus of Panama links South America to North America

Andes mountain range : longest mountain range

Mount Aconcagua : Highest peak in Western Hemisphere

Pampas : Plains in southern South America

Orinoco : river

South America's largest rivers: Andes -> central plains -> Atlantic Ocean

The Amazon at Risk

tributary : river or stream that flows into larger body of water

People explored Andes to know source of Amazon River

passes Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil

deforestation : process of cutting and clearing away trees from forest

Amazon deforestation

- providing timber & cleared land for cattle ranches

- increases carbon dioxide in air

- native animal need to move or die

- native american lose land to live

Climate

Tropical zone

- rainy or dry

- typically hot

- temperature is higher in any elevation than elsewhere

Large portion of Latin lies on tropical zone

Waters in Caribbean sea is warm -> heat air -> warm wind blows -> climate is warm during winter

El Nino

trade wind : wind which is caused by high air pressure in south Pacific

trade wind -> deliver sun-warmed surface water

El Nino : appearance of this warm water off the coast of south America

El Nino causes heavy rain in eastern Pacific

In western Pacific, less rain, it affects to also vegetation

Lesson 2 Ancient Latin America

The Maya

In Latin America, some ancient civilizations flourished far from river

Maya established one of Latin America's mos important civilizations

Maya Achievements

Maya tech : studied math and astronomy -> first civilization which understand zero & has calendar

hieroglyphs : symbols, glyphs

glyphs are not deciphered yet

Maya Farming : used slash-and-burn method & built ridges

slash-and-burn : buring trees -> planting -> became forest -> ground get nutrient -> burn again

Maya city was abandoned and Maya people spread out

The Aztec

Capital of the Aztec Empire : Tenochtitlan

Aztec composed of tribes of wandering warriors, Mexica were dominant

Aztec was warrior society

Importance of military service

- to maintain powerful empire

- religious

Huitzilopochtli : belif that anyone who died in battle is honor of dying

chinampas : floating gardens

grew many crops and raised some animal

The Inca

Inca conquer people of surrounding areas, Andes

Inca farming

- built irrigation canals to water crops

- built stone terraces to farm on steep mountainsides (preventing erosion of soil)

- built irrigation canals to water crops

major technological feat of Inca, stone roads

runners passed messages in team by stone roads

Inca Stonework

Inca known for stonework

erected many massive buildings with stone, ex) Machu Picchu

terraces

The Spanish in Latin America

Hernan Cortes, Spanish soldier

Montezuma II

Spain claimed Aztec & Inca for Spain

Spain enslave native people to mining silver

Spain worked hard to convert Native Americans to Christianity

European exposed diseases, smallpox, to Native Americans

Latin America and Spain exchanged culture

Columbian Exchange : exchange of goods and ideas between European countries and their colonies in North and South America

Spanish began to grow corn, peppers, tomatoes

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Lesson 1 The Roots of Modern Mexico

The Founding of New Spain

Hernan Cortes : leader of Spanish army, first people who land on shore of Mexico with 500 soldiers

He claimed the new land but it was ruled by Aztec Empire, emperor Montezuma II

Native American helped Spanish because they want to be free

A Clash of Cultures

Montezuma II welcomed Corte

Corte put Montezuma II in prison and took control of Aztec

Other leader drove Spain, but during this fight Montezuma II was killed -> Spain retook control

Native American allies' help and Spanish higher level weapon led them to win

New Spain

Spain took control of Aztec

Named New Spain

Spain brought religion, language, skills

Sent priests spread Christianity (some allow it willingly but some other was forced to be)

Changes in Mexico

Native American had to accept many new things, but also some old things were not lost entirely.

1. Peninsulares : ruling class, born in Spain

2. Criollos(Creoles) : people who were born in Mexco but whose parents were born in Spain

3. Mestizo : person who is of Spanish and Native American ancestry

4. Natives : lowest class

5. Blacks (African slave) : not a class

Encomienda | King/Queen - nobles - labors - Knights -> natives

The War of Independence

/ (before Mexico revolution) "Mexico" = "New Spain"

European and American political writer, Mexican religious and political leaders in early 1800s said Mexico should be free to choose their government

demand for Mexican independence grew stronger after 1808(France conquered Spain

Father Miguel Hidalgo -cries of Dolores

Dolores : Call to change (reform)

New leader took Hidalgo's place, wealthy Spanish nobles and many criollos joined fight for independence for 11 years

1821, Mexico became independent but peninsulares and criollos still rule country

Natives and mestizos benefited little from independence

War with the United States

Mexico was bigger with what is now Southern US

Spanish explorers claimed this region in 15 ~1600s

priests built mission there in 1600s

Most of the land was desert -> traveled slow, hard communication

Mexican was at war with Natives such as Apache and Comanche tribes

Many settlers came to Texas

Texas Independence

Texas break away from Mexico and rose revolt

Texas won independence and set up Republic of Texas in 1836

Texas want to be part of US and they agree 1845

US and Mexico fight for the boundary between Texas and Mexico

US forces won control of northern Mexico; it was made official when Mexico was forced to sign Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Gadsden Purchase gave US more Mexico's northern land but didn't fight

Lesson 2 Government in Mexico

A Struggle for Power

Mexico has been a lot of wars for independence and boundary, and another struggle was going on Mexico for power

After independence, army leader often took over Mexican government & Mexicans fought with Spanish landowners & people enjoyed great wealth

Benito Juarez Brings Reform

Mexicans were eager for reform

Benito Juarez

president of Mexico

hero to his people

became minister of justice, 1855

became chief justice of the Supreme Court

gained presidency, 1858

new constitution

promise freedom of speech & equality, ended slavery, forced labor

not promise freedom of religion

kick out army out from government

Response to Reform

church leaders, army leaders, wealthy landowner raged

War of Reform left Mexico weak because of death debt

country was easy target for other foreign takeover

Maximilian emperor, European noble man

The Mexican Revolution

division of rich & poor was huge

Mexican decided to fight for reform ( landowner and landless people) and turned bloodly

Francisco Madero, first revolutionary leaders was wealthy rancher, president in 1911

landonwership

The Problem of Land

haciendas : big farm or ranch, often as large as 40000 or 50000 acres

poor farmer wanted land

law passed 1883 allowed some of wealthiest ranch owner to easily take away land from village farmer

Emiliano Zapata : legendary fighter for farmers' right

he prepared for fight

A Continuing Revolution

many people died during the fight between armies

new government managed to make peace, 1920s

revolution doesn't stop

constitution for distribution land was written

ejidos : community farm owned by all the villagers toghter

Institutional Revolutionary Party

Mexico's Government Today

Vicente Fox became Mexico's new president (first person in more than 70 years who are not belonging to PRI

Estados Unidos Mexicanos : United Mexican States (31 states), Mexico

Mexico has democracy & republic, 3 branches, federal system

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Lesson 1 Establishing Independence

Central America and the Caribbean

Central America includes 7 nations

Neighbors, islands of Caribbean, which known as West Indies, include 13 nations & 11dependencies

Dependency : place that is governed by or closely connected with another country

Peoples of the Caribbean

From European reached West Indies, they forced Native Americans to work on plantation or in mines.

Harsh labors & battles between European and American & diseases unknown to America killed many Native American.

Spanish bringing enslaved American to West Indies, other European joined.

As result, many people in Caribbean today are Mulattos

Mulattos : people who have African and European ancestry

Central American People

In Central America, Native American withdrew to the inland mountains and thus survived from the war with Spanish.

Slave ships also arrived to Central America bringing African.

African migrated there, and Spanish, Native American, and African intermarried

Two-thirds of Central America's population is ladinos

Ladinos : people with mixed European and Native American ancestry

From Colonies to Independence

1500s ~ 1800s, European ruled Central America & West Indies as colonies

Differences

dependencies - free to break off is connection

colonies - either win its independence or be granted it

European nations set up many colonies and find gold and get sugar (people working for sugar was enslaved)

by 1800s, people of Central America & West Indies began to demand independence. St. Domingue is first independent nation

other nations declared independence were united, but since 1839, they separated

Relations with the United States

United States is neighbor of Central America & West Indies

First France, then United States were eager to build canal across Isthmus of Panama to connect two oceans.

Panama did revolt to Colombia, and established country 1903. They agree to lease land to US to build canal.

1914, the canal opened, and it became most important transportation routes in the world.

The Spanish-American War

US declared war to Spain to help Cuba & Puerto Rico to get freedom and to protect their sugar plantation on island

End of war, Spain lost last colonies.

Dictatorships and Democracy

Independence did not necessarily bring freedom. Only Costa Rica has been democracy since beginning of 20th century

Nearly all other countries have spend many years under dictator

Dictator : person who has compete control over country's government

Dictators often used violence to grab and keep power.

Most countries in Central America and West Indies now have democratically elected government and remove dictators.

Lesson 2 Economies and Cultures

The Economies

In Caribbean, economies have depends on growing one or two crops to export other countries.

Islanders have also worked to create new businesses.

Caribbean Sugar Cane

Most of colonial period, Caribbean Islands focused on on industry, growing sugar cane.

Majority of these workers were enslaved

Even end of slavery workers had no lands. Instead, sugar cane, they produced were their wealthy.

During colonial period, most of islands traded only with their ruling country after independence they mostly trade with US.

Sugar was valuable so plantation owner raised few other crops

single-product economy : country that depends on just one product for almost all its jobs and income

This economy might be unstable

New Crops and Industries

Diversify : invest in a variety of industries

Islanders diversify like growing other crops, such as pineapples & bananas, industries, such as textiles, medical supplies, & electronic equipment

tourism is one of most important industries in Caribbean Islands because of their warm weather and beautiful beaches.

Central America

After Central American countries became independent, they trade with other nations. develop exports. began to produce coffee.

in late 1800s, major new export business got started in Central America. United Fruit Company set up huge banana plantation.

Central America Diversifies

Bananas became important product in Central America under UFCO. When price of banana fell in market, they faced hardship. they wanted to diversify economies.

They have worked to build more factories and produce more goods. They also developed tourism as industry

Caribbean and Central American Cultures

Native American, African, and European influences blend differently from place to place

In Caribbean, people speak variety languages and play musics which shows blending of culture.

A Blend of Cultures

Central American countries share common history and culture. They speak Spanish and other 80 languages.

religion is combined

There are variety numbers of religion

Many Central American towns are known for their crafts. Many of styles and methods are originated with ancient Native Americans.