8/13/2019 Unit 5 Study Guide Answer Key

1/3

Unit 5 Study Guide: Latin America Today

Geography

Amazon River6 Brazil1

Sierra Madre Mountains2 Cuba7Andes Mountains7 Bolivia3

Pacific Ocean8 Mexico2

Caribbean Sea1 Venezuela8

Atacama Desert4 Panama4

Atlantic Ocean9 Colombia6

Gulf of Mexico5 Haiti5

Panama Canal3

Location

What waterways Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico have access to? Panama Canal, Atlantic Ocean

Where do most Brazilians live? Near the coast

What is Venezuelas most important export? Oil

Why is Cuba a target for hurricanes? Middle of the Caribbean Sea

What is Cubas most important export?Sugar (sugar cane)

Who is Mexicos largest trading partner?United States

Culture

What is mulatto? European and African

What is mestizo? European and Native American

What 3 groups make up all ethnic groups in Latin America? European, African, Native American

What is the most common language in Latin America? Spanish

What is the most common religion in Latin America? Christianity (Roman Catholic)

What language is spoken in Brazil? Portuguese

What are the literacy rates like in Latin America compared to the United States? Who has the highest

literacy rate in Latin America? lower, Cuba

8/13/2019 Unit 5 Study Guide Answer Key

2/3

Governance

How do federal governments, unitary governments and confederal governments distribute (share)

power?

Federaldifferent branches, central government and local governments share power (equal power)

UnitaryStrong central government. Only one branch of government. Central government makes

laws for local governments.

Confederalweak central government. Voluntary association of countries. Alliances, NAFTA, EU

Who has political power in an autocracy, oligarchy, and a democracy?

Autocracyone person (dictator, king/queen, emporer)

Oligarchya few wealthy or influential people

Democracyall citizens through voting in free elections

What is the difference between a presidential democracy and a parliamentary democracy?

presidentialcitizens vote for legislature and head of government (president) separately. Head of

State and Head of Government are same person (President)

parliamentarycitizens vote only for legislature (parliament). Legislature (parliament) selects head of

government (prime minister). Head of State and Head of Government are 2 different people.

What types of government do Mexico, Brazil, and Cuba have?

Brazilfederal, presidential democracy

Mexicofederal, presidential democracy

Cubaunitary, autocracy

Cuban Revolution

Who led the revolution against Cubas government in the 1950s?Fidel Castro

What dictator did Castro defeat in the revolution? Fulgencio Batista

Why was Castro angry enough to start a revolution? Cuban wealth controlled by foreign countries

(U.S.)

Who did Cuba become allies with and what type of government did Castro put in place? Soviet Union

8/13/2019 Unit 5 Study Guide Answer Key

3/3

What trade barrier did the U.S. put on Cuba? Why? Embargo, in retaliation for Castro taking property

belonging to American companies.

What did the Cuban Revolution have to do with the Cold War? Cuban Missile Crisis is closest we came

to nuclear war.

What has been the effects of the Cuban Revolution for citizens of Cuba? Fewer rights, fewer economic

choices, free healthcare/education

Zapatista Army

Who did the Zapatista Guerilla Movement name themselves after? Why? Emiliano Zapata. He also

fought for Mexicos poorest people.

What Mexican state did this movement begin in? Chiapas

Why do the Zapatistas oppose NAFTA? Brings only low-paying jobs to Mexico. Takes advantage of poor

people

What are the Zapatistas beliefs and goals?Anti-globalization, anti-NAFTA, anti-Mexican government.

Believe that globalization takes advantage of the worlds poorest people. Believe Mexican wealth and

resources should be controlled by the people, not the government.

How has the movement changed in recent years? Moved from violent to non-violent

What is globalization? the world becoming more connected through trade.