Latin America Mexico, Central America, Caribbean

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Latin America Mexico, Central America, Caribbean
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• Called such because languages based on Latin.
• Population
• 1. 525 million. 8.6 of worlds population.
• 2. Unevenly distributed
• 3. Areas of population density
• a. Rimlandedge of South America
• b. HighlandMexico to Central America.
  Good soil.
• Temperature moderated by
  elevationcoffee.
• 4. Ethnicity
• a. Native Americans40-82.
• b. Blacks. Caribbean islands, Atlantic
  coast lowlands. Slaves
• c. MestizosSpanish and Native American
  mixture.
• d. 74 urbanizedwork. Cant find any.
  Slums

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• History
• 1. 1250 million people in 1492. Reduced by
  disease.
• 2. Mayas
• a. Yucatan Peninsula
• b. developed systems of agriculture,
  mathematics, engineering, highways, temples.
• c. developed religion
• d. hieroglyphicsdestroyed by Spanish
  priests
• e. peaked before the arrival of Columbus
• 3. Aztecs
• a. came to prominence much later than the
  Mayas
• b. TenochtitlanMexico City
• --200,000 people. London was 1/5 this
  size.
• --stone roads
• c. Triple Alliancetrade and tribute
• d. Human sacrifices on Pyramid of the Sun.
  20,000 to 50,000 per year.

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• 4. Teotihuacan
• a. 30 miles from Mexico City. Largest
  urban area
• b. conquered by Aztecs in 1400s
• c. 2,000 apartment compounds
• 20 story pyramid of the sun
• Great Compound39-acre civic and
  religious center
• City grid based on stellar
  constellations
• d. as large as London by 500 A.D.
• 5. Incas
• a. Dominated Colombia to Chile at their
  peak.
• b. Linked by roads and suspension bridges.
• c. Machu Picchu
• d. Conquered by Pizarro in 1532.
• 6. European Conquest
• a. guns, technology, horses
• b. Conquistadorshit the shores in 1519.

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• c. smallpox
• d. Spanish became active in the gold trade,
  which attracted other Europeans.
• Economic Geography
• 1. Developing a lot better than Africa, but
  poor compared to the U.S. and Europe.
• 2. Nice cities, but deceiving.
• 3. Depending on free trade
• a. several organizations
• b. want in on NAFTA
• 4. Deep in debtunable to repay loans
• 5. Good income from minerals

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• Mexico
• Natural Environments
• 1. Mexican plateau takes up most of the country
• 2. Three mountain ranges Sierra Madre West
  (Occidental), East (Oriental), South (del Sur).
• 3. Valley of Mexico on southern end of the
  plateau, location of
• Mexico City.
• 4. Flattest part is Yucatan Peninsula
• Climate
• 1. varies by regiondeserts in north,
  rainforests in the south
• 2. Three factors that influence climate
• a. Pacific subtropical high pressure
  celldeserts in the north.
• b. Northeast trade windsblows in humid
  air from Gulf of
• Mexico.
• c. elevation
• -rain occurs where trade winds hit the
  mountains
• -makes the Mexican Plateau cooler

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• 3. no major river
• Resources
• 1. minerals
• 2. petroleum from Gulf of Mexicomost important
• History
• 1. Early civilizationsMaya, Aztec, Olmec,
  Zapotec.
• 2. Milpagrew beans, squash, peppers, in same
  plot. Bean plants climbed corn stalks while
  squash and peppers grew between stalks.
• 3. Colonial Period
• a. Haciendaslarge farmlands owned by
  Spanish, used Indians for slave labor. Indians
  also used as slaves in silver mines
• b. Influence of Catholic Church
• -towns grew around churches
• -plazaopen area in front of the church
  used for community activities.
• -Catholicism combined with native
  religionour Lady of Guadalupe. Juan Diego

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• Indians attracted to Catholicism because of
  sacrifice of Jesus, following priests.
• -Spanish Inquisition
• c. cattle ranching, mining
• d. legacy rural poor, educated urban elite.
• 4. Mexican Independence1810 to 1821.
• a. September 1810. Miguel Hidalgo.
  Western education.
• Executed, but rebellion continued.
• b. Independence won in 1821.
• c. Series of dictators.
• 5. Loss of Texas
• a. thousands of Americans in Texas by
  1830s, did not want to live under Mexican
  government.
• b. 1836the Alamo. 7 captured, including
  Crockett, executed. 2,000 Mexicans vs. 200
  Texans

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• c. September 1836, Mexicans defeated, Santa Ana
  captured, gave up Texas for his life.
• d. Lost it for in 1848 after war with the U.S.
• e. other territories lost in 1830s and 1840s
  southwestern U.S., Central America.
• 6. Mexican Revolution 1910 to 1920
• a. kicked out a dictatorPorfirio Diaz
• b. war between regional leaders
• c. haciendas broken up, but farmers too
  poor to work it.
• d. drove out foreign business
• Modern Mexico
• 1. reopened to foreign business in 1990.
• 2. productive factoriesexpanded since NAFTA.
• 3. more urban
• 4. Tourism

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• 5. Changes in daily life
• a. smaller families
• b. modern shopping
• c. women working outside of the home
• d. increase in Protestant churches
• e. more democratic
• f. Indians participating more in
  government.
• Mexicos Regions
• 1. Greater Mexico City
• a. ¼ of the population
• b. most of the GDP is produced here
• c. great wealth but also a lack of jobs
• d. air pollution3 packs a day. Trapped by
  the mountains

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• 2. Central Mexico
• a. Guadalajara, second largest city.
• b. many fertile valleys
• c. attracting new factories
• 3. Gulf Lowlands and Southern Mexico
• a. prospering from natural gas and oil
  deposits.
• b. Veracruzan important port
• c. Southern Mexico is the poorest region
• -many are migrating
• -very traditionalsubsistence
  agriculture
• 4. Northern Mexico
• a. one of the most prosperousmodern
  infrastructure.
• b. Monterreyindustrial city. Other towns
  have industrialized
• rapidly.
• c. cattle ranching
• 5. 31 states and a federal district

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• Border towns
• 1. reflect contact with the U.S.
• 2. American entertainment is popular
• 3. English mixed with Spanish
• Challenges
• creating economic opportunity, which will lessen
  migration to the U.S.
• Takes away skilled workers.
• 2. reducing crime, particularly drug smuggling
• 3. Improving infrastructurepoor water supplies.