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.

• 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

Hint: look at what has already caused the most deforestation.

Mexico

• Mexico has two major mountain ranges (both share the same name) Sierra Madre!

The Mexican Plateau - known for having silver

Ag

Ag = silver

Ag

Orizaba and Popocatepetl

Volcanic activity is common in Mexico

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR6LnaJzK7A

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.