GEO373 exam 2

Locate the culture areas of the Olmecs, Toltecs, Aztecs, Mayas, Chimú, and Incas.

see blackboard

What were the impacts of mercantilism (belief in the benefits of profitable trading; commercialism) on Latin American society?

- Spain's control held back the colonies from advancement - Kept out any economic products/competition from countries other than Spain - Retarded enconomic development of the colonies, particulary by crippling manufacturing and commerce - Forced colonies into unequal, dependent trade relationships - Promoted contraband trade and disrespect for law - Contributed to creole- iberian conflict

What push-pull factors stimulated rural to urban migration?

- the pressures of rural poverty assist in driving the farmer toward the city - lack of education, - a land tenure system that enables a few to monopolize the best lands - job opportunities - educational facilities - Entertainment - Crime

Describe Latin America's population trends. The early colonial period (1500-1650), population trends during 1650-1850, 1850-1950, 1950 - present.

1500-1650: dramatic population decline, due to Amerindian depopulation. 1650-1850: slow growth, a combination of high fertility and high mortality. 1850-1950: moderate growth, significant immigration. 1950-Present: rapid growth due mainly to mortality decline. Net international migration between Latin America and other world regions became negative.

What was the size and where were the areas of concentration of the Indigenous population at the time of the Conquest?

About 50 million people, in the highlands of Mexico and Central American, and the Andean highlands.

In which region of Central America is precipitation most abundant?

Carribean Coast, central highlands, pacific coast.

What was the largest city of pre-Columbian America?

Chan Chan

What factors facilitated the migration of Latin Americans to Spain and Italy?

Continuing economic challenges in LA countries. Increasingly difficult immigration policy in USA.

List main impacts of colonialism (cultural, economic, social, and demographic)

Cultural - Language, religion, architecture, music, food Economic - Agrarian structure (land distribution, labor systems.) Structure of international trade. Single-export economies. Social - Rigid social stratification Demographic - Amerindian Depopulation

What did the Treaty of Tordesillas establish?

Division of the New World between Spain and Portugal

In which of Mexico's physiographic regions is petroleum abundant?

Gulf Coast

Describe some of the outstanding accomplishments of the major Indigenous cultures.

Incas- engineering, roads, highways, bridges, irrigation, social control. Aztecs - urban development and planning, military skills, political. Mayans - intellectual achievements, writing, astronomy, monuments Chibchas - goldsmithing, farming

What was and was not accomplished by political independence in Latin America?

Independence accomplished - transfer of power - emergence of the military - adoption of laissez-faire policies Did not accomplish Structural change (national, international.)

Which region of Central America contains densely-populated, ash-filled valleys?

Interior highlands

What were the main causes of death of the Indian population during the colonial period?

Introduction of infectious diseases from Europe that the indigenous people did not have an immunity to.

Describe the significance of the Mexican Plateau in terms of size, human settlement and economic activities.

It's a large, north-sloping tilted block. Lots of people (Mexico City) with agriculture based economy.

Briefly describe the following Latin American institutions introduced by the Spaniards during the colonial period: land grants, encomienda and mercantilism.

Land Grants - grants of land given out as an incentive for people to stay / live in L.A Encomienda - labor systems in exchange for teaching of christianity Mercantilism - Forced LA colonies into unequal, dependent trade relationships with Spain/Portugal (monopoly on foreign trade)

Describe the topographic and climatic characteristics of the Mexican Plateau and the Yucatan Peninsula. What region is associated with an extensive limestone platform?

Mexican Plateau - Plateau with series of basins and low ranges. Mostly dry, dryness increases to the North. Yucatan Peninsula - limestone, caves, no water bodies on surface b/c it sinks down into the limestone, senotes. Wet-dry tropical, despite tropical location, it gets little rain. Yucatan Peninsula associated with extensive limestone platform.

In colonial times Spanish Latin America was divided into which four viceroyalties; what were their capitals?

New spain, created in 1529, Mexico City Peru, created in 1542, Lima New Granada, created in 1717, Bogota Rio De la Plata, 1776, Buenos Aires Don't have to know the exact date just general (16, or 17th century.)

What is Latin America's current population size? What is its rate of growth? How many persons are expected to be added to Latin America's population this year?

Pop. - 640 million Rate of growth - 1% Added - 6.4 Million

Name and locate the main urban settlements of pre-Columbian Latin America (Tula, Tenochtitlán, Chichén Itzá, Tikal, Tiwanaku, Cuzco). With which cultures were these settlements associated?

See blackboard maps

What is the leading destination of Latin American emigrants?

U.S.A

Colonial manufacturing was limited to what types of products?

Was limited to - non-durable consumer goods, textiles, dyes, leather goods, and construction materials, processing of agricultural products and minerals.

What is the leading type of internal migration in Latin America?

fronteirward migration: land colonization, mining, logging expansion of commercial agriculture (this brought many people towards the interior of the continent) most important: during the second half of the 20th century- rural to urban. - rural push: agrarian reform (fewer jobs), - urban pull: ISI (increased wages, rent control, food price control, created jobs), after 1950, 60% of urbanization occurred ISI favored the industrial worker over the rural worker.

Types of latifundios. Describe the characteristics of traditional haciendas, plantations and estancias. What were the differences between them in terms of geographic location, crops cultivated, labor systems, market orientation and productivity?

latifundios: Only thing they are similar by is that they are LARGE AGRICULTURAL STATES/AREA (called latifundios) - plantation - Geographic location:tropical coastal location Crops cultivated: monoculture= cultivate one thing. Labor systems:slave/wage labor, private/state/corporate ownership. Market orientation:export-oriented, high risk. Productivity: profit-maximizing - hacienda - Geographic location:highland Crops cultivated: mixed farming. Labor systems: serfdom wage/labor, private ownership. Market orientation: domestic market,risk-minimizing Productivity: low productivity per ha, - estancia - Geographic location: midlatitude and tropical grasslands. Crops cultivated: cattle ranching. Labor systems: payment in kind/use of plot/wage labor, private ownership. Market orientation: domestic market

What were some of the most important silver and gold mining regions in colonial Latin America?

silver: potosi, zacatecas. mita system, gold: minas gerias (brazil) ouro preto columbia. impacts of the mining - establishment of large urban centers large portion of the revenue coming into the country and state of mines gerias. creation of regional trade and services networks. incipient regional development and specialization. declining the amerindian population reinforcement of the unequal social and racial relationships

What are the current trends in mortality, fertility, and rates of population growth? What explains Latin America's rather quick mortality decline?

since the 1960's infertility increased, the mortality incline has increased during the first half of the 20th century. total fertility rate was 6 kids per woman in the 1960's and now it is around 2.3 births per woman. slightly below world average. the introducing of technology was responsible for the decline of births: brith control. the motivation to reduce fertility was urbanization. the city could not fit 6 kids per apartment. this was happening world wide not just latin america.

Briefly describe Latin America's social stratification.

small , elite upper class, lower class had little opportunity to improve, huge underclass.

Syncretism

the combining or attempted combination of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.

Miscegenation

the interbreeding of people considered to be of different racial types

Describe demographic variations within Latin America.

total fertility rate: the world is 2.5 and latin america and the caribbean is 2.3above middle belowhaiti: 3.2 nicaragua: 2.4 el salvador: 2.0guatemala: 3.1 dom rep: 2.4 uraguay: 1.9bolivia: 3.0 venezuela brazil: 1.8paraguay: 2.6 panama: 2.4 chile: 1.8honduras: 2.5 argentina: 2.3 costa rica: 1.8peru: 2.5 columbia: 2.3 cuba: 1.7ecuador: 2.5 mexico: 2.2