Latin America Cultural Characteristics

1
Latin America Cultural Characteristics

• World Geography
• WG.4

2
Indian Civilizations

• Long before Europeans came to Latin America
  highly developed civilizations lived in the
  region.

3
Millions of people were controlled under three
main empires

• Aztec
• Inca
• Maya

4
MAYA

• Lived on the Yucatan peninsula
• Mostly farmers
• Developed a calendar using mathematics and
  astronomy
• Spanish paid little attention to them because
  their land had little gold silver

5
TIKAL

• Major Mayan settlement
• Located in present day Guatemala
• The ruins of Tikal include more than 3,000
  structures including palaces, temples, ceremonial
  platforms, ball courts, terraces, plazas, avenues
  and steam baths

6
TOUR TIKAL
7
AZTEC

• Lived in the central valley of Mexico
• Aztec capital was Tenochtitlan which is modern
  day Mexico City
• Had a vast empire that was a military
  dictatorship which helped the conquistadors
  (conquers from Spain) take over

8
INCA

• Empire extended from Columbia
• to Chile in the Andes Mountains
• Extensive highway system
• Used irrigation, guano, canals, reservoirs
  llamas to produce
• enough food
• Harvest was divided into thirds
• 1/3 to priest
• 1/3 to ruler
• 1/3 to community

9
Machu Picchu

• When discovered in 1911 it was totally covered by
  vegetation
• Used to study astrology
• May have been a sacred place for religious
  ceremonies

10
TOUR MACHU PICCHU
11
European Colonization

• Spanish conquistadors arrived in Latin America
  around 1519.
• They were in search of Gold, God Glory
• Agriculture was also important . They turned the
  Indians ejidos (communal lands) into large
  haciendas owned by only the wealthy.

12
Why were the Europeans able to conquer the Indian
empires?

• 1st
• Europeans had guns and horses
• 2nd
• Formed military alliances
• 3rd
• Europeans brought diseases such as smallpox

13
ROMAN CATHOLICISM

• Roman Catholic missionaries tried to convert the
  Indians over to Christianity.
• They established missions in both the city
  centers and rural areas.
• Today Catholicism remains the primary religion in
  Latin America

14
MESTIZOS - people of mixed European Indian
ancestry

• Spanish and Indian cultures mixed in Latin
  America
• Many of the European colonists were men and they
  got lonely so they met Indian women.

15
Out-Migration

• Many Mexicans want to emigrate out of their
  country.
• WHY? Push factors include poverty, pollution
  crime
• Better jobs are available in the US so Mexicans
  can send money back to their families

16
Population Growth

• The populations of many Latin American countries
  are growing rapidly.
• By looking at the population pyramid would you
  say Venezuela is developed or developing?_______

17
Rigid Social Structure

• It is very difficult to rise up the social ladder
• It is similar to India
• If you are born poor you will probably be poor
  the rest of your life
• The rich and poor do not mix socially

18
Most cities are located along the coast.
19
In the large megacities, squatter settlements are
common.

• Many people live very closely together in homes
  made of whatever they can find.

20
Types of Music

• Music from this region has many African
  influences
• calypso (Trinidad)
• steel drum bands (Trinidad)
• Listen to Caribbean Music Sample, "S Dwet"
• reggae (Jamaica) LISTEN

21
Many dances also come from Latin America

• Salsa (Cuba Puerto Rico)
• Merengue (Dominican Republic)