The Cultural Geography of Latin America Chapter Focus Section 1 Population Patterns Section 2 History and Government Section 3 Cultures and Lifestyles Chapter Assessment Click on a hyperlink to go to the corresponding content area. Press the ESC (escape) key at any time to exit the presentation. Carnival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Geographic Setting More than 70 percent of the people of Latin America live in urban areas. Chapter Objectives • Understand that the people of Latin America represent diverse ethnic groups. • Recognize that Latin American countries were once European colonies. • Explain how Roman Catholicism has influenced Latin American culture. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Geographic Themes • Section 1 Population Patterns REGION The people of Latin America represent diverse ethnic groups, with more than one-half being of mixed ethnic heritage. • Section 2 History and Government MOVEMENT Latin American countries were once European colonies. • Section 3 Cultures and Lifestyles PLACE Roman Catholicism has influenced Latin American culture. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Population Patterns Read to Discover… • the ethnic diversity of Latin America. • the population density and distribution in Latin America. • the urbanization of Latin America. Key Terms mestizos, mulatto, dialect, primate city Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides. Population Patterns Identify and Locate Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Caracas, Santiago, Patagonia, Mexican Plateau, Barbados, Bahamas, Suriname, Mexico City, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Montevideo Section Objectives 1. Appreciate the ethnic diversity of Latin America. 2. Examine population density and distribution in Latin America. 3. Discuss the urbanization of Latin America. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides. Introduction • While Latin Americans have diverse backgrounds, common threads bind the people into a single culture region. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. MOVEMENT Human Characteristics • The approximately 500 million people who live in Latin America have different backgrounds and are members of various ethnic groups, including… – Native Americans. – Europeans. – Africans. – Asians. – mixtures of these groups. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Ethnic Diversity • Native Americans were the first to settle present-day Latin America. These great civilizations included… – the Aztec of Mexico. – the Maya of the Yucatán Peninsula and surrounding areas of Central America. – the Inca of the highlands of Peru. • Even though other groups conquered and settled in the region, many Native American cultural characteristics still remain. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Ethnic Diversity (cont.) • Today most Native Americans in Latin America live in isolated villages in Mexico, Central America, and the Andes area of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. • The Native Americans continue to practice the traditional ways of their ancestors, working to preserve their own cultures. • Europeans first arrived in present-day Latin America in the late 1400s. • Early European settlers were mostly Spanish and Portuguese. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Ethnic Diversity (cont.) • Many other groups came as well, including Italians, British, French, and Germans. • Africans first came in the 1500s as enslaved people, forcibly brought by the Europeans to work the plantations in Brazil and the Caribbean Islands. • Asians first settled Latin America during the 1800s, arriving voluntarily, to work the plantations. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. A Blending of Peoples • The blending of peoples can be seen throughout Latin America. • In some countries, such as Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador, mestizos– people of mixed Native American and European descent–make up the biggest part of the population. • In other countries, such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic, mulattoes– people of mixed African and European descent–form a large percentage of the population. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Language • Most of the countries of Latin America adopted the languages of the countries that colonized them. – Brazil’s language is Portuguese. – Haiti’s and Martinique’s language is French. – Jamaica’s and Guyana’s language is English. • Today Spanish is the official language of most of the countries of Latin America. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Language (cont.) • Each nation also has its own dialects, forms of a language peculiar to a particular place or group, changed by the addition of certain Native American words. • Millions of Latin Americans speak Native American languages such as Quechua, Guaraní, and Mayan. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. REGION Population Density and Distribution • The people of Latin America are not evenly distributed across the region. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Population Distribution • Much of Latin America is not densely populated, with most Latin Americans living on only one-third of the land. • Latin Americans are clustered around the coasts of South America and in a broad strip of land that reaches south from central Mexico into Central America. • More than 66 percent of Latin Americans live in South America, most in or around cities on or near the coast. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Population Distribution (cont.) • Geographers often divide “the populated rim of South America” into two major parts: – The larger is along the eastern edge of South America–from the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil to the grasslands around Buenos Aires, Argentina. – The smaller is along the coast and in the Andes, stretching along the western side of South America from Caracas, Venezuela, to Santiago, Chile. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Population Distribution (cont.) • The next largest number of Latin Americans live in Middle America, mostly in the Mexican Plateau and along the Pacific coast of Central America, largely in the highlands. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Population Density • Population density varies greatly in Latin America. • Mexico is the most populated Spanishspeaking nation in the world. • After Brazil, Mexico is the second most heavily populated country in Latin America. • Suriname is the most sparsely populated country. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Population Density (cont.) • Caribbean countries are small, have high birth rates, and have areas that are unsuitable for settlement or for farming. These factors lead to a very high population density. • In South America, population densities are relatively low. • In most Latin American countries, population density varies by region. • In most of the island countries of the Caribbean, however, people tend to be more evenly distributed. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. MOVEMENT Urbanization • In the past most Latin Americans lived in the countryside and worked the land. • Now most live in urban areas. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. One-Way Migration • Living conditions are so poor in much of rural Latin America that Latin Americans migrate to the cities to find… – a better education. – higher-paying jobs. – broader markets. – decent health care. • The inability to read and write and lack of necessary skills leaves most unable to qualify for the jobs. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. One-Way Migration (cont.) • The urban population explosion has brought problems, including… – a lack of resources to meet the needs of the people. – people with little or no money. – slums and shantytowns. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. The Cities • As a result of people moving to the cities, today most Latin American nations are urbanized. • Four cities in the region rank among the 15 largest urban areas in the world: – Mexico City, Mexico – São Paulo, Brazil – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Buenos Aires, Argentina Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. The Cities (cont.) • Many Latin American cities have become primate cities, cities with a concentrated urban population that dominates the economy, culture, and government. • Some of the fastest-growing cities in the world are in Latin America. • Mexico City, the nation’s capital, functions as Mexico’s leading business, industrial, and cultural center. • Mexico City also is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. In what two general areas do most Latin Americans live? Most Latin Americans live in a broad strip of land that reaches south from central Mexico well into Central America and around the coasts of South America. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Latin America has been called the “melting pot of the Western Hemisphere.” What reasons can you give for this? Ethnic diversity and intermarriage in the region have resulted in Latin America becoming a “melting pot.” Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. History and Government Read to Discover… • the native American civilizations of Latin America. • the European empires of Latin America. • the status of modern government in Latin America. Key Terms chinampas, quipu, conquistador, viceroy, fazenda, caudillo Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides. History and Government Identify and Locate Yucatán Peninsula, Lake Texcoco, Tenochtitlán, Cuzco, Ecuador, Chile, Lima, Brazil, Haiti, Mexico, Cuba Section Objectives 1. Locate Native American civilizations of Latin America. 2. Describe European empires of Latin America. 3. Discuss modern government in Latin America. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides. Introduction • Latin America’s past includes Native American civilizations, European colonial empires, and struggles for independence. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. REGION Native American Empires • Native Americans came to the Western Hemisphere thousands of years ago, probably across the Bering Strait. • Years before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, three Native American civilizations emerged: – the Maya – the Aztec – the Inca Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. The Maya • The Maya created an empire in Central America and southern Mexico, building many cities, temples, terraces, and courts. • Priests and nobles ruled the cities and surrounding areas. • The Maya economy was based on trade and agriculture. • The Maya used a number system based on 20, developed a symbol for zero, and created a calendar based on the earth’s orbit of a little more than 365 days. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. The Aztec • The Aztec were originally wanderers. • In the 1300s they built a permanent capital city, called Tenochtitlán, on an island in the center of a large lake. • Farmers grew crops of beans and maize on chinampas, floating artificial islands. • An emperor headed the complex Aztec political system. • The Aztec worshiped gods and goddesses and held ceremonies to win the deities’ favor and guarantee good harvests. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. The Inca • At the same time, the Inca were establishing an empire that stretched along the Andes from Ecuador to Chile. • The Inca built their capital, Cuzco, in Peru and ruled their lands through an emperor. • Incan farmers cut terraces into the slopes of the Andes, built irrigation systems, and domesticated animals. • The Inca had no written language but kept records and sent messages using a quipu, a rope with knotted cords of various lengths and colors. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. MOVEMENT European Empires • In the late 1400s, when European explorers set out to find new trade routes to Asia, the explorers reached the Americas. • Spain and Portugal vied for land in the Americas. • To avoid conflicts, the Pope drew an imaginary line, the Line of Demarcation, that ran from the North Pole to the South Pole, to split up the territory. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Spanish Conquests • The European search for trade routes eventually turned into a search for riches and for opportunities to convert Native Americans to Christianity. • Spanish conquistadors, or conquerors, overpowered the Aztec and Inca empires, seizing their wealth for Spain. • Spain established colonies from Mexico to Bolivia, mining gold and silver. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Spanish Conquests (cont.) • The Spaniards set up plantations, farms, and huge cattle ranches. • Initially, the Spaniards used Native Americans to work the plantations. • When hundreds of thousands of Native Americans died from enslavement conditions and European diseases, the Spaniards brought in enslaved Africans. • Viceroys from distant Spain governed the colonies, resulting in a strict social structure with Europeans at the top and Native Americans and Africans at the bottom. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. The Portuguese and Brazil • The Portuguese had claimed Brazil as early as 1500. • The land had brazilwood–a tree from which red dyes could be made–and was good for raising livestock. • On the coastal lowlands, the Portuguese built sugar plantations called fazendas. • The Portuguese relied on enslaved Native Americans and later Africans to work the plantations. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Independence • Beginning in the late 1700s, many people in Latin America began to resent European rule. • Haiti was the first Latin American country to rid itself of French rule in 1804. • In 1824 Mexico became the first Spanish-ruled nation in Latin America to gain freedom. • By the mid-1800s most Latin American countries had gained independence. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Independence (cont.) • Only one nation, Brazil, became independent without revolution, choosing monarchy, rule by a king or queen, as its government. • With the exception of Haiti, independence took longer for the islands of the Caribbean. • Many of these islands did not gain their independence until well into the 1900s. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. REGION Dictatorships and Democracies • Wars of independence created political and economic confusion in Latin America countries. • Leaders of the newly independent countries wanted to build stable governments and prosperous economies. • The huge size of many of the new countries and such physical barriers as mountains and dense rain forests made communications and trade difficult. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Power of the Strong • New leaders, known as caudillos, or “strong men,” promised to solve Latin America’s problems. • Almost all caudillos were military rulers ruling as dictators and supported by wealthy landowners. • In the later 1800s and early 1900s, caudillos ruled as dictators in many Latin American countries. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Desire for Change • Rapid industrialization between 1940 and 1970 brought social changes to Latin America. • Newfound wealth enriched the upper classes. • The growing gap between rich and poor spread unrest among farmers and workers. • Military governments resisted demands for reform and fought political unrest with terror. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Desire for Change (cont.) • Democracy was a political goal in most nations, except for the Communist rule of Fidel Castro in Cuba. • By the mid-1990s, new democratic governments had begun to replace the old, harsh political systems. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Where were the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations located? Maya: Central America and southern Mexico Aztec: central Mexico Inca: along the Andes from Ecuador to Chile Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answers. Why did Latin Americans seek independence in the late 1700s and early 1800s? Latin Americans wanted freedom, resented Europeans, and felt inspired by the American and French revolutions. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Cultures and Lifestyles Read to Discover… • the religions of Latin America. • the concerns of health care and education in Latin America. • the arts of Latin America. • what life and leisure in Latin America is like. Key Terms malnutrition, mosaic, modernism, extended family, fútbol, jai alai Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides. Cultures and Lifestyles Identify and Locate Santo Domingo, Caracas, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília Section Objectives 1. Name the religions of Latin America. 2. Examine health care and education in Latin America. 3. Discuss the arts of Latin America. 4. Describe life and leisure in Latin America. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Additional lecture notes appear on the following slides. Introduction • Latin American culture is rooted in the intermingling of people. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. MOVEMENT Religion • The Spaniards and the Portuguese brought Roman Catholicism to Latin America. • Since then the Roman Catholic Church has had a strong influence in the region. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Roman Catholicism • During colonial times, Roman Catholicism was the official religion of the Spanish colonies and Brazil. • Priests had come to the Americas with the conquistadors, working to convert Native Americans to Christianity. • Church leaders played an important part in political affairs, and the Roman Catholic Church became wealthy. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Roman Catholicism (cont.) • When the fight for independence came, church leaders backed the European powers, leading some Latin Americans to question the Church’s privileges. • The Roman Catholic Church remains strong in Latin America today, but it does not have the influence it once did. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Growth of Protestantism • Some of the Europeans who came to Latin America in the 1800s were Protestant. • In the 1960s Protestantism began to attract large numbers of Latin Americans. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. PLACE Health Care and Education • Health care and education are two major areas of concern and need in Latin America. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Health Care • Because of medical advances, better health care services, improved diets, and better sanitation, more Latin Americans are living longer. • Health care, however, is still poor in many rural and urban areas, and malnutrition, poor nutrition because of a badly balanced diet or not enough food, is a major problem. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Educational Opportunities • Education in Latin America remains a challenge: – The literacy rate is low. – There are too few schools and teachers. – More than half the teachers, especially in rural areas, do not have teaching degrees. – Many children cannot go to school because their families need the money the children earn by working. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Educational Opportunities (cont.) • Latin American education, however, has improved in recent years: – All children can go to school for free for 12 years. – The literacy rate has improved more than 90 percent. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. PLACE The Arts and Literature • In the past, the arts and literature of Latin America were dominated by European standards. • Today’s Latin American artists have developed unique styles, many of which reflect their diverse ethnic heritages. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Traditional Arts and Literature • Native Americans produced the earliest Latin American art forms, creating weavings, wood carvings, pottery, and metalwork. • They also built temples decorated with colored murals and mosaics–pictures or designs made by setting small bits of colored stone, glass, or tile in mortar. • Native Americans also created the region’s earliest music and dance. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Traditional Arts and Literature (cont.) • Africans brought the rhythms, songs, and dances out of which calypso, reggae, and samba evolved. • Most colonial-era paintings had religious themes. • After independence, Latin American painters and composers began mixing European and Native American themes. • In the late 1800s a literary movement known as modernism developed, in which writers and poets focused on artistic expression for its own sake. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Art and Literature • In the 1900s Mexican artists, such as Diego Rivera, began using art to educate. • They created huge murals that combined modern forms with traditional Native American designs to present the daily life and history of their countries. • Latin American writers also began to show more interest in social and political subjects. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Art and Literature (cont.) • During the last 50 years, Latin American artists and writers have become recognized internationally. – The Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer is known worldwide for his curved sculptures and his use of Native American designs in mosaics. – Audiences in many countries have applauded dance companies like the Ballet Folklórico of Mexico. – Writers like Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda of Chile, Octavio Paz of Mexico, Miguel Angel Asturias of Guatemala, and Gabriel García Márquez of Colombia have all won Nobel Prizes for Literature. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. REGION Life and Leisure • Latin Americans place great emphasis on social status, family life, personal honor, and individual freedom. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Way of Life • Latin Americans have a strong sense of family. • Each person is part of an extended family that includes aunts, uncles, and other relatives besides parents and children. • In Latin America a person’s quality of life depends on his or her social class, nationality, and place of residence. • A large gap exists between lower class and the middle and upper classes. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Leisure Time and Celebrations • Latin Americans enjoy sports, especially fútbol, or soccer. • A traditional favorite among many Mexicans and Cubans is jai alai, a game that is played with a ball and a long curved basket that is strapped to a player’s wrist. • Other Latin American pastimes are musical events, dances, the theater, movies, and parties. • Most Latin Americans celebrate their independence days and religious holidays. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. In what country did artists begin using art to educate? Artists began using art to educate in Mexico. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. How have medical advances affected population growth? They have increased life expectancy and lowered infant mortality, resulting in a higher population growth rate. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Section 1 Summary • Latin America’s ethnically diverse population includes Native Americans, Europeans, Africans, Asians, mestizos, and mulattoes. • The Latin American population is not evenly distributed. • Latin America’s urban population has increased rapidly as people have moved from rural to urban areas. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 2 Summary • Maya, Aztec, and Inca built highly developed civilizations long before Europeans arrived in the Americas. • Spain and Portugal controlled most of Latin America for more than 300 years. • Most present-day leaders want a stable government and an improved quality of life for Latin Americans. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Section 3 Summary • The major religion of Latin America, Roman Catholicism, was brought to the region by the Spaniards and the Portuguese. • Many advances have been made in Latin America in health care and education. • Arts and literature have become less European and more uniquely Latin American. • Although social class, way of life, and leisure activities may differ, all Latin Americans have a strong sense of family. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. People of mixed African and European ancestry are known as ________. mulattoes A _________ primate city dominates a country’s economy, culture, and government. People of mixed Native American and European ancestry are known as _______. mestizos The Inca used a rope with knotted cords called a ____. quipu Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answers. The Aztec and Inca empires were conquered by Spanish ___________. conquistadors In the 1800s many Latin Americans were ruled by dictators called _______. caudillos ______ Jai alai is a game like handball enjoyed by Cubans and Mexicans. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answers. An ____________ extended family includes relatives other than a husband, wife, and children. Pictures made from small bits of colored glass set in mortar are called mosaics ______. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answers. What is the official language for more than one-half of Latin America? Spanish is the official language for more than one-half of Latin America. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. What was the only independent South American country to choose monarchy? Brazil was the only independent South American country to choose monarchy. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. What are some of the problems associated with education in Latin America? Problems with education include: 1. too few schools and teachers 2. teachers without teaching degrees 3. children who cannot attend school because they have to work to support their families Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Match the letters on the map with the places and physical features of Latin America. 1. Mexico City 2. Lima 3. Port-au-Prince 4. Montevideo 5. Havana 6. La Paz, Sucre 7. Quito 8. Brasília 9. Buenos Aires 10. Bogotá 11. Santiago 12. Caracas Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answers. What measures would best prepare Latin American peasants for a move to the city? Practicing a skill and learning to read and write would best prepare them for the move. Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Map and Graph Skills Interpreting a Population Pyramid After listening to the introduction, take a few moments to read “Reviewing the Skill” on page 190 in your textbook. What countries are shown in the graphs? Uruguay, Cuba Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. What percentage of Uruguay’s male population is between the ages of 20–29? 7.3% Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. What percentage of Cuba’s total population is between the ages of 40–59? 19.1% Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Which country has a declining population? Cuba Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. In which country is there a greater percentage of older women than men? Uruguay Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer. Which country has the most even distribution of men and women? Cuba Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.