South America
South America
South American history and culture
are marked by American Indian (e.g.
– Inca) encounters with the
Europeans. Conquest and
colonization most influenced the
early history of American Indian
encounters with the European
explorers.
South America
Geographers consider the below listed
factors when dividing South America
into cultural regions:
forms of government
religion
language
Why would they not consider climate?
Discuss
Culture
Incas – There have been many lasting
contributions of the Incan culture to
South America. Some of these
contributions are roads, terracing for
farming, irrigation, domestication of
animals, architecture and gold and
silver jewelry. Which of these do you
think is most important? Why?
Discuss -
Culture
As Europeans migrated to South
America they brought new
cultural influences to the portions
of the continent that were
colonized.
Africans also came to the
continent, as slaves, increasing the
work force.
Culture
Most of South America was colonized by
Spain. Because of this, most speak
Spanish. And, because of both Spanish
and Portuguese colonization, most people
practice the catholic religion.
Brazil was colonized by Portugal. What
cultural trait do you think most separates
Brazil from other nations in South
America?
Answer: language
Discuss -
Governments
South America has experienced many types of
governments. These governments represent rule
by one, rule by few and rule by many. These terms
refer to the number of people who play a role in
making decisions about the country.
Examples:
Rule by one – dictator
Rule by few – junta
Rule by many – democracy
Governments
Argentina – The government of
Argentina has evolved after a long
period of what is known as the Dirty
War. Citizens revolted after a military
coup. Between 1976 and 1983, from
9,000 to 30,000 people were killed or
“disappeared.” The terrorism was
carried out largely by the military
dictatorship (Rule by Few).
Government - Argentina
Argentina’s Dirty War was an
example of:
●
●
●
The right of people to protest
government action being taken away
The right of people to free speech
being taken away
The right of people to safety and
protection being taken away.
Government - Argentina
The military government finally stepped
aside and democracy was restored after
mounting pressure from activists and a
humiliating military defeat to Great
Britain in the Falkland Islands. Once
democracy is established in a country,
it is important for its citizens to take
seriously their responsibilities,
example: serving on juries
Government - Argentina
During the Dirty War, the cause of the
“disappeared” gained international
recognition. The mothers of the
“Disappeared” held the position that
you should limit the power of
government to limit possible abuses.
Governments Today
Today, nearly all of the countries in
South America have governments
that are rule by many including:
Argentina
Brazil
Peru
Governments Today
One country that still has Rule by
Few is Venezuela. However, the
government, including the
president, is elected by popular
vote. Venezuela is also one of the
more developed countries with
large cities and significant trade.
What effect do you think the
economy has on the government?
Economies
As countries adapt to modern
economies, there are lessons to be
learned. During this century, a bank
run in Argentina created a short
supply on cash, one of the basic
factors of production (capital). This
could have been prevented by proper
government regulation.
Economies
Two countries that have been
under heavy government
regulation have been very
successful and are considered
economic miracles today:
Argentina
Brazil
Discuss -
Innovations
Since the late 1800’s, many
technological innovations have
effected the economies of the region.
One recent innovation that has
rapidly transformed communications
in South America is the cellular
telephone.
Religion
The dominance of one religion in the
region has had negative effects:
(1.) a disregard of rights for people in
other religions, (2.) religious holidays
only for people in the dominant group,
and social clashes, (3.) arguments and
violence, between religious groups
Geography
South America is home of the largest
mountain range in the world. Look at
the map. The Andes mountains act
as a geographic barrier that makes it
easier for Peru and Chile to protect
their rich natural resources.
Geography
The Andes mountains also affects
the population density of Peru
and Chile. These countries are
not densely populated as they
have a narrow area of fertile land
bordered by desert and
mountains.
Geography – Natural Resources
South America is also home of
numerous forests. Therefore, logging
is the primary industry in Brazil.
However, the dense rainforest has also
prevented the growth of population
centers and the development of other
resources.
Geography – Natural Resources
Deposits of coal and oil are
located mostly on the edges of
the continent.