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Latin America

Latin America. Early Times. Many indigenous tribes lived in Latin America for thousands of years before Europeans arrived The most well-known in history were the Incas , Mayas and the Aztecs

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Latin America

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  1. Latin America

  2. Early Times • Many indigenous tribes lived in Latin America for thousands of years before Europeans arrived • The most well-known in history were the Incas, Mayas and the Aztecs • The Aztecs built the city of Tenochtitlan, which was one of the largest cities in the world in its time

  3. In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue… • Historians still debate where exactly he landed, but it’s certain that he “discovered” the Bahamas first.

  4. Conquistadors • Spanish explorers arrived to conquer the New World in the 1500s and brought with them horses, guns, and germs • They captured and/or killed thousands of Natives and thousands more were killed by smallpox and other diseases the Natives had no immunity to

  5. Spaniards in the New World • The Spanish soon set up cities and missions • They converted many of the natives to Christianity (Catholicism) and the Church became centers of cities and towns • The open space, or plaza, in front of the church became a center for the community market • Plazas are common features in parts of Europe and b/c of the Spanish influence, they’re all over Latin America

  6. Piazza San Marco, Venice Plaza de Constitution, Mexico City

  7. Caribbean Slaves • Slaves weren’t just sent from Africa to the United States, they were sent in huge numbers to the Caribbean to work on the sugar plantations • As a result, many people in the Caribbean are of African descent or are mulattos (people of mixed African and European descent)

  8. Latin America Today • Most people are still Roman Catholic • Most are considered Mestizos, having a combination of Spanish and Native ancestors due to intermarriage • The exception being parts of the Caribbean Rio de Janeiro

  9. Challenges for Mexico • Remember the Maquiladoras? Factories close to the U.S. border that produce goods to be exported to the U.S.

  10. Mexico City • Roughly 20 million people live in the Mexico City metropolitan area today • About 5.5 million live in the DFW Metroplex • The millions of vehicles, along with all the factories, are polluting the air with dangerous chemicals, creating smog. • The city is located in a basin, where the air gets trapped, making the situation worse

  11. Ewww…

  12. Puerto Rico • The United States took Cuba and P.R. from Spain after the Spanish-American War in 1898 • Cuba became an independent country in 1902, but P.R. has remained a U.S. Commonwealth

  13. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but they have no voting representation in the U.S. Congress • There are arguments for two alternative paths for P.R.’s future 1. Become the 51st State 2. Declare independence entirely

  14. Ecotourism • Relatively recent development, where countries can make money and still preserve natural environments

  15. Ecotourists take guided tours through the rainforest to observe the environment as well as the wildlife living there • Tourism is Costa Rica’s biggest industry • 2/3 of all tourists in C.R. are ecotourists

  16. Cacao • When the Spanish arrived in the New World, they discovered the Natives had a special drink made from cacao beans – chocolate!!! • Cacao beans are still a very important commercial crop in many Central American countries today

  17. Coffee • Coffee is a very important crop for many Latin American countries • Grown on plantations in cool, highland areas

  18. Bananas • Another very important crop • In the last century, the U.S. used the pejorative term “Banana Republic” to describe poor nations who relied on a single crop, bananas, and had a corrupt government

  19. Oil • Several countries in South America have petroleum deposits • Venezuela has the largest supply and has become a leading oil-exporting company • And a member of OPEC • Citgo gas is a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-run oil company

  20. OPEC Countries

  21. Rainforest • The Amazon river basin is home to the largest tropical rainforest in the world • More than 150 inches of rain falls annually • Home to countless species of plants and animals • However, due to encroaching development, about 17,000 square miles of rainforest are cleared every year

  22. El Nino • Once or twice a decade, the waters of the Pacific Ocean are warmer than usual along the western coast of South America • It creates wetter than normal conditions and can affect weather patterns in many parts of the world • La Nina is a phenomenon where the waters of the Pacific are cooler than normal.

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