The Human Geography of South America

Ch. 10—South America

A. 2 Divisions of South America=Spanish-Speaking South America(exceptions: Suriname [Dutch Speaking] and

French Guiana [Territory of France])andPortuguese-Speaking South America in Brazil

B. Incas in the Andes Mountains

C. Inca Roadways

The Inca road system was the most extensive road system in Latin America.It crosses the Andes mountains and reaches heights of over 5,000 m (16,500 feet) above sea level, connecting the different regions of the Inca Empire.

Inca Roadways

1. Terraced Farming

Macchu Picchuan ancient city that the Inca claimed was the center of the earth.

D. Exploration and Conquest

1. Christopher Columbus began period of European exploration. Spanish and Portuguese explorers traveled to Latin America for God, Gold, and Glory.

2. Spanish Conquistadores defeated native populations through warfare and diseases

Conquistadores

c. Hernándo Cortez conquered the Aztecs and Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca

d. Replaced language with Spanish and their polytheistic religion with Roman Catholicism

Independence (NONE OF THIS IS IN NOTES; DON’T COPY)

Inspired by the American Revolution, countries of South America sought their independence from Spain in the 19th century.

Argentina and Chile were the first to achieve independence because they were the farthest away from the center of Spanish control.

E. Government

1. Oligarchy=government by the few, usually the rich

2. Geography contributed to the failure of countries to unify or work together for common goals Populated around the continent’s edges Mountains and rain forests limit

interaction

G. Columbian Exchange The movement of plants, animals, people and diseases

between the “Old World” and the “New World”

Crops, animals, gold, and silver to Europe

European goods, farm animals, diseases, and slaves to the Americas

3. African culture influences in language, dance, music, and religious rituals

H. 20th century development

1. Panama Canal - connects Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to reduce cost of shipping.

(not in notes; don’t copy!) Project started by the French, taken over and completed by the US in 1914. US had control of the canal until 1999.

2. Economic growth has been difficult and foreign investors still dominate Latin American businesses=SPATIAL diffusion.

I. Economy

1. Based on agriculture and mining, which produce a wide variety of products because of the unique resources, landforms, climate, and vegetation

Mercosur (Common Market of the South)

2. The goal of Mercosur is to increase trade within the region and improve the economy of South America.

V. Brazil

A. Divided by the Treaty of Tordesillas between Spain and Portugal in which South America was divided into 2 parts

Treaty of Tordesillas(not in notes; don’t copy!)

Pope Alexander VI, a Spaniard, created a line in 1493 that divided Spain and Portuguese land.

The line of demarcation stated that Portugal kept the eastern part of the world, and Spain was responsible for the exploration of the western half.

Portugal unhappy with Spain's corruption forced the Pope to move the line of demarcation further west, moving Brazil into official Portuguese territory

Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which stated the new line of demarcation by Pope Alexander VI.

B. Colonists settled along the coast because the rainforest made farming difficult.

C. Colonists began to clear land to create sugar plantations

D. When natives began dying from diseases brought by the colonists, African slaves were brought over to replace them.

E. Language- Portuguese Religion- largest Catholic population in

the world Mixed ancestry

National Culture

Today many Brazilians are mixed European, African, and native ancestry.

Because of the diseases, only about 200,000 natives remain

Brazil has become home to many immigrants from other nations

F. Rio de Janeiro Carnival is cited as the “greatest party on earth” (not in notes; don’t copy!)The most famous celebration/event is the carnival that is observed two weeks before the Christian fasting of Lent.

Brazil

G. Economy

1. Natural resources have made Brazil an industrial power Minerals used in manufacturing Rivers for transport Power plants to produce electricity Oil and natural gas Leading maker of automobiles Ethanol fuel made from sugar cane

Economy Cont.

2. 75% of the population lives in cities, and government is encouraging settlement of the interior.

3. Large amounts of economic inequality

SquatterCity in Brazil

a residential area in an urban area inhabited by the very poor who have no land

of their own, and hence "squat" on vacant land, either private or public.