LATIN
AMERICA
Latin America
consists of all the
Americas south of
the U.S. It consists
of Mexico, Central
America, the West
Indies & South
America
LATIN AMERICA
• This region is called “Latin
America” because it was
colonized by Spain &
Portugal, whose languages
come from Latin.
• Europeans who
conquered the region
failed to recognize Native
American ownership of
the land. They saw
“Indians” as uncivilized
“non-Christians.”
LATIN AMERICA
• Many Latin Americans
today are of mixed Native
American and European
descent – called mestizos.
• Most speak Spanish or
Portuguese.
• Most are Catholic.
MEXICO
MEXICO
• Many Indian cultures existed
in Mexico, each with own
language/customs;
• Farmers grew beans, corn,
peppers & squash;
MEXICO
• Mexico had many complex
civilizations (advanced for
their time!). Some were:
– Mayan
– Olmec
– Toltec
– Zapotec
• All these built large cities
MEXICO
- Aztecs: Created an
empire & the great capital
city of Tenochtitlan (Mexico
City today).
MEXICO
• Spanish
Conquest/Influence:
– 1. Spread Disease (many
native Americans died);
– 2. Catholic missionaries
converted Native Americans;
– 3. Built towns with plazas &
churches.
• Spanish Influence:
MEXICO
– 4. Small communal farms
(ejidos) were replaced with
large estate farms
(haciendas) – put wealth in
the hands of a few! What
problems might this cause?
– 5. Mestizos became largest
population group.
MEXICO
• Mexico after they won
Independence:
– Lost northern territory to
U.S.;
– Mexican Revolution
(1910-1920); land reform,
but not enough – most
wealth remained in the
hands of a few;
– Increasingly
urban/industrial; large
tourist industry.
– Society began to move
towards democracy.
MEXICO
• Regions of Mexico:
– Greater Mexico City:
• Cultural, economic & political
center;
• ¼ of Mexico’s population lives
there;
• Economic activity draws
people there, but few find
jobs;
• Many live in poverty;
• Terrible air pollution – located
in a valley ringed by
mountains trapping pollution
in.
MEXICO
• Mexico City: Largest city;
(over 19 million people!)
• A Mexico City Slum
– Central Mexico:
MEXICO
Guadalajara, Mexico (in Central
Plateau Region)
• Located across Mexican
Plateau;
• Fertile valleys found here; mix
of family farms & commercial
farms growing cash crops;
• Recently attracting more
factories to the region.
MEXICO
– Gulf Lowlands & Southern
Mexico:
• Rich deposits of oil & gas
found here;
• Yucatan Peninsula along
southern edge;
• Mexico’s poorest region – few
cities, little industry;
• Subsistence Agriculture is
common;
• Sinkholes
MEXICO
– Northern Mexico:
• One of the most prosperous
regions;
• Many factories & commercial
farms;
• Cattle ranching, mining,
tourism
• Border Towns – Americans
own many factories, called
maquiladoras, along Mexican
side of border. Employ 1000s
of Mexicans assemble
products for export to U.S.
– Good or bad???
MEXICO
Note: The border region
also has many cultural
links to the U.S:
-American Music;
-American television;
-Spanish has English
words in it.
MEXICO
Official Language –
Spanish
(62 native Indian
languages!);
Religion – 89% Catholic;
Holidays –
Dia de los Muertos
(Day of the Dead);
Cinco De Mayo (May
5th)
Independence Day
(Sept. 16th)
• Central America CENTRAL AMERICA
• Like Mexico, Central
CENTRAL AMERICA
American Countries were
colonized by Spain; small
farms were converted into
large ones, run by wealthy
Spanish families.
• Independence was gained
in 1820s; wealthy families
continued to run farms.
CENTRAL AMERICA
• Foreign companies
from the U.S. & Great
Britain built railroads;
coffee plantations were
founded along them;
bananas also became
an important
commercial crop
controlled by American
firms.
• Spanish Influence:
CENTRAL AMERICA
– Catholic Religion
popular
– Majority of people
are Mestizo
• Some are Mulattoof European &
African descent
– Language is mostly
Spanish
• (Belize speaks
English)
• Panama Canal:
CENTRAL AMERICA
:
– Early 1900s, U.S. built Panama
Canal across central Panama.
– This canal allows ships to move
from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Pacific Ocean; a major
international trade route!
– The U.S. controlled the canal
until it turned it over to
Panama in 1999 (the turn of
the century).
CENTRAL AMERICA
• ECOTOURISM – Costa
Rica is famous for this
type of tourism –
Ecotourism focuses on
guided travel through
natural areas & on
outdoor activities,
allowing visitors to see
wildlife & learn about
the environment.
THE WEST INDIES
• The West Indies consist of
the islands found in the
Caribbean Sea:
In 1492, Christopher Columbus
WEST INDIES landed in the Bahamas. He named
it the West Indies.
Since Spanish monarchs sent
Columbus, they were the first to
settle in the region.
Settlers brought
bananas, citrus,
rice, sugarcane, &
farm animals.
WEST INDIES
• When Spanish found little
gold, they lost interest in
the islands, opening
them to competition
between English, Dutch &
French.
• Sugar plantations
developed.
• Plantation owners turned
to Africa for farm labor,
bringing millions of
Africans to the West
Indies.
WEST INDIES
• When slavery ended in
1800s, landowners brought
laborers from South & East
Asia.
• Over time, all islands
gained independence…
• The U.S. took Cuba &
Puerto Rico from Spain
during Spanish-American
War in 1898.
WEST INDIES
• Cuba became independent
in 1902, Puerto Rico
became a commonwealth
of the U.S. – a selfgoverning territory
associated with another
country. (Puerto Ricans are
U.S. citizens but have no
voting representation in
Congress.)
WEST INDIES
• Population of Caribbean
mostly descendants of
Africa & Europe; also
Asian descendants in
some areas.
• Official languages depend
on who settled there
(Spanish, French, English,
Dutch) Also some creole
– blends European,
African, or Caribbean
Indian languages.
WEST INDIES
• Most are Roman Catholic
or Protestant;
• African traditions strongly
influence religion. (i.e. in
Haiti, voodoo is common. –
– African Beliefs blended with
Christianity.
WEST INDIES
• Caribbean Music – has
contributed much to
American music;
• Calypso, Reggae, Salsa,
Merengue – have all
contributed to our music!
SOUTH
AMERICA
SOUTH
AMERICA
• Before Europeans arrived
to South America,
kingdoms rose & fell;
• The Inca was South
America’s greatest early
civilization; They built
paved roads & suspension
bridges! Inca stone
construction can still be
seen in Peru. They also
farmed using terraced
fields braced by stone
walls.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Treaty of
Tordesillas
• Spanish heard about Inca,
wanted to conquer them.
• 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas
divided South America
between Spain & Portugal.
Portugal received much of
Brazil – in Brazil they speak
Portuguese! The remainder of
South America speaks Spanish.
SOUTH
AMERICA
Independence
movements took
place in 1900s, but
like Central America,
failed to improve
people’s lives; wealth
remained in the hands
of a few; many poor.
Often, a group might
take power by force
(called a coup).
SOUTH
AMERICA
• Language of South
American countries reflects
colonization. Most speak
Spanish; in Brazil,
Portuguese is spoken;
English, Dutch & French are
also found in various
countries.
South America
• Religion – majority are
Roman Catholic
(colonization);
• Traditionalism – although
S. America is developing
rapidly, some places remain
traditional.
• Settlement Patterns:
South America
– Most urban areas are
along coastline, many
are seaports;
– Much of the interior
is thinly populated.
South America
• Major Cities of S. America:
Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Santiago (Chile)
Lima (Peru)