CULTURE

Religion (Caribbean)

A number of religions are practiced in the islands of the Caribbean. Here too, the colonial influence can be seen. Catholicism is practiced on a number of the islands, including the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. On islands that were former English colonies, the dominant religions are Protestant. Islam and Hinduism are practiced on Trinidad and Tobago. African religions also play a major role in the culture composition of the islands: Vodun or voodoo is practiced in Haiti. Santería is observed in Cuba. Obeah or obi is followed by many in the former English colonies.

In Central America, as in many places throughout the world, wealth is not evenly distributed.

A small percentage of the population is wealthy, mostly Europeans. They are the owners of the large plantations and hold most of the political power in the region. Two-thirds of the people in the region are poor and have little or no political power. They are mostly Native American or of African descent. They're the laborers and farmers and work in factories or on plantations. For the most part, they don't own the land on which they work. A very small middle class exists in Central America. These are farmers who own small farms and employees of small businesses in urban areas. Although the middle class is growing, far more people are poor.

The ancestors of most of the people in Latin America were _____.

African Native American European

[blank] is the most widely practiced religion in Latin America.

Catholicism

In Central America, the richest people are _____.

European

Ethnicity (Caribbean)

Few people of the Caribbean islands can trace their ancestry back to the original Native American settlers. African culture plays a major role on the islands. Large populations of mulattoes and people of African descent inhabit the islands as a result of the large number of African slaves who were brought there to work the plantations. Calypso music, very popular in the region today, can be traced back to African slaves, who sang their satirical lyrics to a rhythmic beat while harvesting the sugar cane. Large populations of Asians also inhabit the islands in this region. Many are immigrants from South and East Asia who came to the islands in the 1900s to work on the plantations after the slaves were freed.

Latin America

Geographers look for ways to simplify the study of the world. One strategy they use is to assign places to specific regions. The Caribbean, South America, and Central America belong to the region described as Latin America. Mexico is also considered part of this region because of its culture. This area got its name from the fact that the major languages of the region are Spanish, Portuguese, and French—Latin-based languages.

Ethnicity

In Central America, cultural groups are segregated into specific areas. This is because of the rugged terrain that made it difficult for people from different cultures to intermingle. The different cultures represented in Central America include: Native Americans or Indians. Native Americans have lived in Central America longer than any other group. Their highest concentration is in Guatemala. Europeans. Europeans came here in the 1400s and 1500s. Spanish is the official language of most of the countries in Central America. The largest concentration of Europeans is in Costa Rica where 90 percent of the population is European, mostly from Spain. Mestizos. The mestizos are a mix of European and Native American. Their populations are mainly concentrated in the countries of El Salvador and Nicaragua. Africans. Populations of people of African descent are concentrated along the Caribbean coast. Some are descendents of slaves who were brought to the region in the 1600s to work on the plantations. Most descended from migrants from the Caribbean islands who came to work on the banana plantations or to build the Panama Canal.

Language (Caribbean)

Many different languages are spoken on the islands. However, the influence of the European colonizers is still strong. Spanish is the dominant language and is spoken by nearly two-thirds of the population. Most of the people of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico speak Spanish. Other languages spoken on the Caribbean islands include: French, English, Dutch, Hindi, and Urdu.

Ancestory

Most of the people in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America can trace their heritage back to Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans. The region's first settlers were the Incas. The Incan Empire was situated in the country that is now Peru. The Incas were conquered by the Spanish and Portuguese, who came to this area in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Mestizos, whose ancestry is both Native American and European, comprise a significant portion of the population in this region. The European colonists developed large sugar plantations in the region, and those plantations required many workers. The Europeans therefore enslaved people from Africa and brought them to the region to work the plantations. Mulattoes, whose ancestry is both African and European, make up a considerable portion of the population in the region.

Native American Culture

Native Americans fear that the dominant culture in the region is a hazard to their way of life, threatening their cultural identities. They feel that interaction with the dominant culture in the region will weaken their language, religion, and traditions. For this reason, some countries, like Brazil, have set aside land called reservations for Native American communities. Some people feel that reservations are a way to preserve the Native American culture, while others view the reservations as an increased threat to this group's cultural identity.

Culture is important from a geographic perspective.

People who have a common culture often share similar values. The cultural factors that we'll study in this lesson include ethnicity, religion, and language. The culture of a people often influences where they live, the way in which they live, and how they use the land on which they live. For example: The Plaza. In many Latin American countries, the plaza is the center of daily life. It's usually in the middle of town on the main square. Generally, the church is on one end, while the stores and restaurants are on the other end. The people of Latin American countries spend a lot of time in the plaza. Here they shop, meet friends, and chat over coffee.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the religion practiced by most of the people in Central America. However the number of evangelicals, Methodists, and Mormons is increasing in Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras.

Ethnicity (South America)

South Americans are of diverse ethnic backgrounds. The majority, however, are Native Americans, Europeans (primarily Spanish and Portuguese), and African. Since the 1900s, Asians have immigrated to the area. Mestizos make up the majority of the population of South America. Most of the Native American population in South America is concentrated in the central Andean highlands. People of Spanish ancestry are more populous in Argentina and Uruguay. People of Portuguese descent are the main population group in Brazil. More mulattoes and people of African descent live in Brazil than in other South American countries. People of African descent have large populations along Colombia's coast, in the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana), and in Ecuador. Many of the new European immigrants settled in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Asian immigrants from India, Indonesia, and China came in the nineteenth century to what is now Guyana and Suriname. Japanese settlements have grown in Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia.

What is the official language of most of the countries in South and Central America?

Spanish

Language.

Spanish is the dominant language in Central America. In fact, it's the official language of all Central American countries except Belize, where English is the language of the government. Traditional languages are spoken by many Native Americans living in the highlands: In Guatemala, Quiché, Mam, and Kekchí are spoken. In Honduras, Chortí is spoken.

Language

Spanish is the official language of most of the countries in South America— Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Other languages include: Native America—the most common of these are Quechua, Aymara, and Guaraní and are spoken primarily by those living in the Andean highlands. In Paraguay, both Spanish and Guaraní are the official languages. Portuguese is the official language of Brazil. English is the official language of Guyana. Dutch is the official language of Suriname. French is the official language of French Guiana.

Religion (South America)

The influence of the early European colonists can also be found in the religion of the region. Approximately 90 percent of the population is Roman Catholic. Other religions on the continent include: Protestant—mostly in Brazil and Chile, as well as in urban areas throughout the continent. Jewish—about three-fourths of the Jewish population of the region resides in Argentina and Brazil, and more than 10 percent are in Chile and Uruguay. Most live in the continent's cities. Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims are primarily located in Guyana and Suriname.

Voodoo, Santaria, and Obi are all religions of the Caribbean, having their roots in Africa.

True

What is cultural convergence?

a blending of cultures

cultural convergence

a merging of cultures

Where are the most culturally diverse areas in Latin America?

in the cities

In South America, the dominant culture in the region is seen as a hazard to the way of life of the Native Americans, weakening their _____.

language religion traditions