Global StudiesName

Latin America Review

Map

Label the following on the map using the corresponding number or letter.

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Countries

  1. Argentina
  2. Bolivia
  3. Brazil
  4. Chile
  5. Columbia
  6. Cuba
  7. Ecuador
  8. Haiti
  9. Mexico
  10. Panama
  11. Puerto Rico
  12. Venezuela

Bodies of Water

  1. Amazon
  2. Atlantic Ocean
  3. Caribbean
  4. Gulf of Mexico
  5. Pacific Ocean
  6. Rio Grande

Landforms

  1. Amazon Basin
  2. Andes Mountains
  3. Baja California
  4. Cape Horn
  5. Isthmus of Panama
  6. Pampas Grasslands
  7. Sierra Madres
  8. Yucatan Peninsula

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Geography

Origin of term “Latin America” / Derived from the languages, Spanish and Portuguese, which are romance languages with Latin roots
Isolating Factors of Regions / Mountains and rainforests
Regionalism / Strong local traditions that divide people within a country or region

Civilizations

Civilization / Location(s) / Decline
Maya / Yucatan Peninsula and Central America / Reason unknown. Disease, war, or revolts?
Aztec / Central Plateau of Mexico / Hernando Cortes conquered them with the help of other Native Americans
Inca / Andes Mountains of South America / Francisco Pizarro conquered them
Conquistadors / Spanish conquerors like Cortes and Pizarro who were armed with steel, guns, canons, horses and disease
Tenochtitlan / Capital city of the Aztecs
Montezuma / Last emperor of the Aztecs

Colonialism

Explorer / Country / Discovery
Columbus / Spain / West Indies- he was trying to sail to India and the East indies
Balboa / Spain / Crossed isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific Ocean
Magellan / Spain / First to circumnavigate the world. Discovered Strait of Magellan.
Cabral / Portugal / Discovered Brazil. Was blown off course when sailing around Africa.
2 Main Colonial Powers / Spain & Portugal
Viceroy / Official who ruled in place of the king, governor
Mercantilism / Colonial system designed to enrich mother country. Colonies provided resources and bought European good.
Haciendas / Large plantation or ranch
Peninsulares / Officials sent from Spain to rule the colonies
Creoles / People of Spanish descent who were born in the Americas
Mestizos / People of mixed European and Native American ancestry
Maroon Colonies / Colonies established by runaway slaves

Independence Movements

Revolutionary / Country (ies) / Description
ToussantL’Ouverture / Haiti / First free country in Latin America. Former slave led a revolt against the French.L’Ouverture died in a French prison.
Simon Bolivar / Venezuela, Columbia, & Panama
Ecuador & Peru w/San Martin / Bolivar, a Creole from Venezuela, was known as “the Liberator.” He had Haitian help and promised to free slaves. Bolivia named after Bolivar.
Jose de San Martin / Argentina
Chile w/Bernardo O’Higgins
Ecuador & Peru w/Bolivar / San Martin was an Argentinean Creole who had served in Spanish army. Left Ecuador & Peru to Bolivar
Miguel Hidalgo / Mexico
(Independence came later) / Hidalgo was a priest who led an army of Mestizos and native Americans. He was shot by a royalist firing squad.
Dom Pedro / Brazil / Portuguese prince who declared independence, but later gave power to his son and went into exile.

Mexico

Most Common Ethnic Group / Mostly Mestizo (60 Native American groups also)
Mexican
Revolution / 1 million died in 11 year struggle (1910-1921) that toppled dictator Porfirio Diaz. Land was redistributed, workers given rights, power of church limited
NAFTA & Its Members / North American Free Trade Agreement between US, Canada, and Mexico

Brazil

Most Common Landform / Amazon Rainforest
Ethnic Groups / Black, European (Portuguese & others), Japanese (largest population outside of Japan), and Native American
Brazilian Miracle / Economic turnaround. Development of new industries, hydroelectric power, and gasohol (sugarcane)
Current Energy Status / Self-reliant
Environmental Problem / Destruction of rainforest for agriculture; timber and mineral extraction; and beef production

Cuba

Cuba Before Castro / US business and mafia thrived under dictator Fulgencio Batista
Fidel Castro / Young Cuban lawyer/revolutionary who took over in 1959. Gave power to brother Raul in 2008.
Government and Economy Type / Communist dictatorship
Cold War Ally / Soviet Union
Bay of Pigs / 1961- US supported invasion of Cuba by 1400 Cuban exiles. Colossal failure and embarrassment for US.
Cuban Missile Crisis / 1962- 13 day standoff between US and USSR over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. Closest world ever came to nuclear war.
Trade Embargo / 1961- US trade with Cuba was outlawed. Embargo continues to this day, mostly due to huge Cuban exile population in Florida who hate Castro regime.

Puerto Rico

Commonwealth Status / US territory. Self-governing. US citizens, but don’t pay federal taxes or have federal representation. Has voted against statehood and independence.

US and Central America

Conflict in
El Salvador / In the 1980s, US supported right-wing government against left-wing rebels.
Conflict in Nicaragua / In the 1980s, US supported the Contras, right-wing rebels, in struggle against left-wing Sandinista government.

Current Issues

Debt / Nations amassed huge debts to foreign lenders that led to a crisis in the 1980s that hurt most Latin American economies
Drug Trade / US and European demand for drugs (cocaine, marijuana, heroin) led to the growth of violent drug cartels in Columbia and Mexico
Environmental problems / Population growth and development of resources have led to deforestation, overfishing, strip mining, and air pollution

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