Transcript Latin America in a nutshell

Latin America in a nutshell
Geography
Atacama Desert
• The driest place on earth
• .59 inches or rain per year
South America
• The Andes- longest continuous mountain
range on earth.
• The Amazon flows 4,000 miles into the Atlantic
Ocean.
• Contains 1,000 tributaries (which are rivers or
streams which flow into a larger body of water)
The Amazon River
• The Amazon River is
an example of a:
•
A) transportation
barrier
•
B) transportation
corridor
The amazon river
is used as a major
trade route
through many
countries in South
America
The Andes Mountains
• Transportation
corridor or
transportation
barrier?
Amazon Rainforest
• Transportation
corridor or
transportation
barrier?
• Deforestation (or the process of cutting trees
away from forests) has greatly affected the
Amazon rain forest.
Hint: look at what has already caused
the most deforestation.
• A rancher’s
point of view
about
deforestation
of the Amazon
rainforest
would be:
•
A) in favor
of cutting the
trees
•
B) against
cutting the
trees
Mexico
• Mexico has two major mountain ranges (both
share the same name) Sierra Madre!
The Mexican Plateau
- known for having silver
Ag = silver
Ag
Ag
Orizaba and Popocatepetl
Volcanic activity is common in Mexico
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR6LnaJz
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Place
• Mexico City is the 15th most populated city in
the world.
• What is a disadvantage to this?
• Air pollution is severe!
Earthquakes
• Mexico city is vulnerable to earthquakes
Most people move to urban areas to
escape poverty
Climate Change can affect a lot!
• How might a country that
relies on rivers for
transportation and
electricity form
hydroelectric dams be
affected by climate
change?
• If the rain patterns change
there could be less rainfall
thus damaging both
ecotourism and the
country’s ability to produce
electricity form
hydroelectric dams.
History
(Mexico)
Early Civilizations
• The Aztec were located in Tenochtitlan
Modern Day Mexico City
• The Maya were located in the Yucatan
Peninsula
• The Inca were located in the Andes Mountains
• Inca culture can still be seen today in the
Quechua language which is still spoken in
Peru.
The Conquistadors
• Hernan Cortez comes from Spain and
Colonizes the Aztecs.
• Many of the Latin American natives died when
the Europeans came because of
• 1. Harsh Treatment by the Europeans
• 2. European diseases like small pox
• 3. Battles with the Spanish Conquistadors
The Columbian Exchange
• After their conquest the Conquistadors set up
a trade network.
• This network would send goods from Europe
to the Americas and vice versa
• Cultural Diffusion!
Spanish Colonization
• Language and Religion spread due to Spanish
Colonization of Latin America.
Mexican Independence
• The idea was based off the American Revolution
• 1808 France conquered Spain
• Father Miguel Hidalgo gives a fiery speech urging
the Native Americans to throw off Spanish rule
• Hidalgo was executed but his idea lived on!
• Mexico gains independence in 1821 inspired by the
example of the United States and France
War with the United States
• 1835 what is
now know as
Texas decided to
break off from
Mexico's rule
Mexico's difficult with land
• After gaining independence Mexico had a
hard time controlling their land due to
distance and desert. This was a problem of
geography (location)
Texas Independence
• 1846- The Mexican War
• Mexico loses and signs the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
ceding everything shown here in color to the United States.