Introduction

to
Latin America
MAP OF LATIN
AMERICA
Physical Characteristics:

• Very mountainous:
• Mexico – Sierra Madre
• South America - Andes
Mountains (world’s longest
range)
 Amazon Lowlands

1. Amazon River- 2nd

longest
2. Grasslands:
• ii. Pampas (plain
area) of Argentina
 Factors Affecting Everyone
Vertical climate zones:
1.Tierra Caliente: sea level to 2500 ft –
(68-91°) - Banana, sugar, rice
2.Tierra Templada: 2500-6500 ft (60-72°) -
Coffee and Corn
3.Tierra Fria: 6500-10000 ft – frosts common in
winter -Potatoes, barley
4. Tierra Helada – 10000 ft and above – frozen
land – no crops
4
3

2
1
 ECONOMICS
Very rich or very poor-few
middle class
Cities are growing due to
fewer farming opportunities,
safer places to live, access
to basic necessities
 SQUATTER SETTLEMENTS

Poor live outside of city limits in slums

(squatter settlements) or favelas
 EUROPEAN COLONIZATION
• Portugal =
Brazil
(Portuguese)
• Most of the
rest of Latin
America =
Spain
(Spanish)
•The Mayans
• Southern Mexico, Central America
• Developed astronomy,
calendars, hieroglyphics
• Disappeared for mysterious
reasons
• Incas – in South America
 The Aztecs

• Used pictures for words

and sounds – no alphabet
• Tenochtitlan – Aztec capital
now Mexico city
• Ruled empire by force
• Conquered by Spanish
 Geography of Mexico
• Mountains on either side – Sierra Madre
Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental – in
between is the great plateau
3. People and Cultures
•Most live along
coasts
•Most Christians
are Roman
Catholic
COLOMBIAN EXCHANGE
• Most of all slaves went to Latin America
• Most of Latin American
countries depend on
commercial agriculture to
supply income
• Most Latin American
countries are less
developed
 Panama Canal

Trade waterway that runs through

Panama that works on a system of
locks – shortens trade routes
 SLASH AND BURN
• Trees are slashed and burned
for farming – ashes fertilize
soil – destruction of Amazon
Rain Forest
 How developed?
• Countries that are considered
less developed is Haiti,
Guatemala and Nicaragua
• Countries that are more
developed are Chile and
Argentina