Chapter 10 Notes

Human Geography of Latin America-A Blending of

Cultures

Section 1- Mexico• DON’T WRITE• Several ancient

societies played a major role in Mexican society including the …

Section 1- Mexico• DON’T WRITE• The Olmec-

– Existed between 1200 BC- 300 BC

– Location- Swampy lowland of Southern Mexico

– Inventions & Accomplishments:• Large planned cities• Huge, pyramids shaped stone

temples• Highly organized government• Hieroglyphic writing• Counting system• Calendar

Section 1- Mexico• Mayans-

– Years in existence: 300-900 AD

– Location: Tropical highlands of Central America & Yucatan Peninsula

– DON’T WRITE– Inventions/Accomplishments:

• Elaborate irrigations system• Organized independent city

states• Cities were religious centers• Polytheistic• Precise Calendar• Numbering system that included

zero • No one knows why they began to

abandon their cities in the 800’s

Section 1- Mexico• Aztec

– Years in existence: 1200-1530 AD

– Location: South Mexico– DON’T WRITE– Inventions/

Accomplishments• Conquered peoples were

forced to pay tribute to central government

• Montezuma greatest ruler• Military roads to the outposts

from Capital• Built causeways to connect

island to mainland• Sacrificing of POW’s!!!

One of the new 7 wonders of the world

Chichen Itza

DON’T WRITE Video• We can successfully reconstruct Aztec human

sacrifice with a high level of accuracy. Some sacrifices were very minimal, involving the sacrifice of a slave to a minor god, and some were very spectacular, involving hundreds or thousands of captives. Aztec history claims that Ahuitzotl (1468-1502), who preceded Mocteuzma II as king, sacrificed 20,000 people after a campaign in Oaxaca ("O-a-sha-ka"). No matter what the size of the sacrifice, it was always performed the same way. The victim was held down by four priests on an altar at the top of a pyramid or raised temple while the officiant made an incision below the rib cage and pulled out the living heart. The heart was then burned and the corpse was pushed down the steep steps; a very brave or noble victim was carried down the steps. The most brutal of human sacrifices were those dedicated to the god Huehueteotl. Sacrificial victims were drugged and then thrown into a fire at the top of the ceremonial platform. Before they were killed by the fire, they were dragged out with hooks and their living hearts were pulled out and thrown back into the fire.

• Incas– Years of existence: 1350-

1533 AD– Location: Andes Mountains,

Amazon Rainforest, From Ecuador to Chile & Argentina

– DON’T WRITE– Inventions/Accomplishments

• Government cared for sick & elderly by collecting taxes

• Dammed rivers to look for gold• Invented the crowbar• Brain surgery• Treated Malaria• No system of writing

• Machu Picchu- Incan nobility retreat.– Most famous

of the Incan ruins

One of the new 7 wonders of the world

Video

DON’T WRITE

• 188 soldiers with 62 on horses were able to defeat an army of 90,000+ Incan soldiers, w/out losing a single soldier. How?– Spanish Steel & armor vs.

clubs ?– Horses, 6,000 years?– Diseases (smallpox, influenza…)?

Section 1- Mexico• Spanish Conquest- Hernando

Cortes of Spain landed on the coast of Mexico in 1520 & took over the Aztec empire with only a few thousand men.– How is this possible?

• God status• Smallpox• Steel armor & horses• Catholicism• Used native enemies

DON’T WRITE• “I implore you to recognize the Church as

a lady and in the name of the Pope take the King as lord of this land and obey his mandates. If you do not do it, I tell you that with the help of God I will enter powerfully against all. I will make war everywhere and every way that I can. I will subject you to the yoke and obedience to the Church and to his majesty. I will take your women and children and make them slaves….The deaths and injuries that you will receive from here on will be your own fault and not that of his majesty nor of the gentlemen that accompany me.” – Read aloud in Spanish– Now free to do whatever they wanted to the

“Indians” that they had “discovered”

Section 1- Mexico• Tenochtitlán- ancient

capital of the Aztecs– Present day Mexico

City– Conquered by

Hernando Cortés

Section 1- Mexico• Francisco Madero, Pancho

Villa, & Emiliano Zapata – all famous revolutionaries – advocated taking land from rich

landowners & giving it to peasants

Section 1- Mexico• Culture-

– Spanish speaking – Roman Catholic

• People– Native Indians of Mexico– Spanish who immigrated– Mestizo- people of mixed

Spanish & Native American heritage

Section 1- Mexico• Maquiladoras- factories

in Mexico that assemble materials into finished products that are then exported, usually to U.S.

Section 1- Mexico• NAFTA (North American Free

Trade Agreement)- includes Mexico, the U.S., & Canada– Countries can trade freely with one

another and not be assessed a tariff– Hopes to create millions of jobs

Section 1- Mexico

• DON’T WRITE• Many Mexicans work in the U.S.

& send money back home to Mexico because they can make so much more money in U.S.

Section 2: Central America & the Caribbean

• Central America forms an isthmus (a land bridge) between N. & S. America– DON’T WRITE– Also divides two oceans– Attractive area for commerce

• DON’T WRITE• Cultural Hearth- place

from which important ideas spread.– Origin of a major culture

• Mayans & Aztecs’ capitals are examples

Section 2: Central America & the Caribbean

Don’t Write• Christopher Columbus & 1492

– What did he find vs. what he thought he found?

– Taino & sugar plantations? Problems?

– African solution in Caribbean & Brazil?

– European influences in region?

Section 2: Central America & the Caribbean

• DON’T WRITE• Caribbean

Colonies– Most are

Spanish speaking & Roman Catholic

• Panama Canal- cuts through the land bridge between N. & S. America & connects the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans

• DON’T WRITE• 36 cents & $375,000?

Section 2: Central America & the Caribbean

Section 2: Central America & the Caribbean• Calypso- music

genre that uses steel drums and guitars– DON’T WRITE– Seen a lot on street

corners

Section 2: Central America & the Caribbean

• Reggae- most songs deal with social problems, religion, & protest

• DON’T WRITE– Bob Marley is the most

famous reggae artist

• Informal Economy- in touristy areas, selling goods to tourists

• DON’T WRITE– there is a whole economy outside of

official channels – Provides many jobs w/out protections

Section 2: Central America & the Caribbean

Section 3: Spanish-Speaking South America

• DON’T WRITE• All of the nations of South

America speak Spanish except Brazil

Section 3: Spanish-Speaking South America

• Governments of South America since 1800’s– Oligarchy- means rule by the few– Military Rule

• MERCOSUR- (stands for southern common market) allows member countries to trade freely with the other member countries w/out tariffs, same as NAFTA

Section 3: Spanish-Speaking South America

• Simón Bolívar- – Venezuelan military &

political leader– Led Venezuela & other

countries to independence from Spain

– Known as El Libertador (The Liberator)

Section 3: Spanish-Speaking South AmericaDON’T WRITE

Section 4: Brazil

• Brazil- most populous of the nations of South America

Ronaldhino

DON’T WRITE

Section 4: Brazil• Treaty of Tordesillas- Division of

South America by Spain & Portugal.– All land to the West of the line

belonged to Spain & all land to the East of the line belonged to Portugal

– 1494– DON’T WRITE– Why did the Pope step in?

Section 4: Brazil• DON’T WRITE• Brazil’s population is concentrated

along the eastern coast, why?

Section 4: Brazil• DON’T WRITE

• Brazil-– Speak Portuguese– Largest Catholic

Population in the world

Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio De Janeiro

One of the new 7 wonders of the world

Section 4: Brazil– Brasìlia- capital of

Brazil• Created in 1957 to

open the interior of Brazil

Section 4: Brazil

•Growing economic power with an abundance of natural resources

Don’t Write

Section 4: Brazil

• Carnival- huge celebration right before Lent, with costumes, masks, & partying– Samba- most popular type of music

in Brazil

Section 4: Brazil

• Capoeira- Brazilian martial art & dance form

Capoeira Style

Capoeira Fight

Section 4: Brazil

• Favelas- very poor slums of the big cities– Found on hillsides of the

cities– Caused by widening gap

between rich & poor