Intro to South America Lesson 14

What is attitudinal zonation and how do human activities change with each zone?

Human activity varies with elevation. The various activities can be categorized into zones with a term called attitudinal zonation.

Who controls most of the land and political power in the Rural Amerindian Region?

*regions based upon the majority ethnic group and colonial influence* With land and politics controlled by powerful eleites, this is one of the poorest regions of South America.

What are the five main cultural regions of South America? Where are each of the regions located?

1. Tropical Plantation- located along the north and east coast of South America. 2. Amazon Basin- located in the center of the north part of South America. 3. Rural Amerindian- extends to include the countries of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. It is located near the northwestern part of South America. 4. Mixed Mestizo- includes the coastal area of the west and the interior highlands of north and east of South America. 5. European Commercial "Southern Cone"- the region includes Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil and Paraguay.

What ethnic background dominates in the Tropical Plantation Region? Where did these people come from?

After slavery was abolished, indentured servants from Asia were brought in to the Guianas to work the plantations. This region has a high percentage of people of African or Asian background.

What resources in the Amazon Basin are being exploited for economic gain?

Development has encroached upon the region in the form of deforestation, mining and cattle ranching. Large deposits of iron ore, along with gold and other minerals, have been found in the Amazon Basin.

Why does the Southern Cone have such good economic conditions?

European ethnic groups dominate this region and include not only Spanish and Portuguese, but also German, Austrian, Italian, and other European ethnic heritages. Fertile soils and European trade provided early economic growth. With a highly urbanized population and trade connections to a globalized economy, its not mystery that the Southern Cone has the most developed economies in South America.

How do most people in the Guianas make a living?

Plantation agriculture and easy access to the Atlantic trade triangle. Bauxite mining and oil deposits along the coast provided modest income. The Guianas follow the same pattern as that of the Rimland of the Caribbean.

Which two ethnic groups do you think would be in conflict in the Amazon Basin? Which two ethnic groups do you think would be in conflict in the Rural Amerindian Region?

Regions based upon the majority ethnic group and colonial influence.. The Amazon Basin is the least-densely populated region of South America and is home to various isolated native Amerindian groups. Conflicts over land claims and the autonomy of tribal groups have been increasing in recent years. For the Rural Amerindian Region, Francisco Pizzaro may have conquered the Inca Empire, but he didn't not eliminate the Amerindian people. The ruling Mestizo class that inherited control from the European conquistadors mainly live in urban areas. (Amerindian: native people in Latin America) (Mestizo: Mixed European and Amerindian )

What were the two main European colonial powers that dominated South America?

South America was colonized exclusively by two main Iberian powers: Spain in the west and Portugal in the east.

Why do you think the European Space Agency has its main launch site in the French Guiana?

The European Space Agency maintains a launch center here because of its favorability in climate and conditions for launching rockets.

What environmental concerns are prominent in the Guianas and in the Amazon Basin?

The Guianas tropical climate, unique geology, and relatively pristine ecosystems support extensive areas of species-rich rain forests and natural habitats with high levels of biodiversity. Development has encroached upon the region in the form of deforestation, mining and cattle ranching. Large deposits of iron ore, along with gold and other minerals, have been found in the Amazon Basin. Preservation of the tropical rain forest of this remote region has been challenged by the destructive pattern of development that has pushed into the region. So the environmental concerns are the Guianas rain forest and biodiversity being ruined and destroyed by the problems that the Amazon Basin is going through with its rain forest and biodiversity.

Where are the Pampas and Patagonia? What makes these regions so significant?

The Southern Cone is also home to the rich fertile agricultural lands of the Pampas, centered on the central port city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. With rich soils and ample rainfall this region produces enormous quantities of grain and beef products. To the south in Argentina is the large rural sparsely populated region of Patagonia. Rich with mineral wealth, this vast prairie region is utilized for cattle grazing but doesn't get the rainfall necessary for high yield grain production.

What European colonial powers dominated the Guianas before independence? Which of them is still a colony? When did each of the Guianas gain independence?

The entire region of South America was claimed by European colonial powers. The Guianas in the northeast were the only European colonies in South America that were not Spanish or Portuguese. The British, the Dutch, and the French all held claims to different parts of the Guianas. French Guiana remains a colony (department) of France to this day. Guyana was called British Guiana before it gained independence in 1966. Suriname was called Dutch Guiana before it became independent in 1975.

What ethnic groups are the majorities in each of the Guianas? Why did people from South Asia or Indonesia end up in Suriname or Guyana?

The ethnic backgrounds of Guyana's population, which is less than one million, are a mix of African, 36%; East Indian 50%; Amerindian, 7%; then the rest are mixed and European. The ethnic backgrounds of Suriname's population, which include less than half a million, include East Indian, 37%; Creole, 31%; Indonesian, 15%; African, 10%; Amerindian, 2%; and about 1% European. The French Guiana's population the majority of creole. *Creole is a three way mix is European, African, and Amerindian* People from South Asia and/or Indonesia ended up in Suriname and/or Guyana because of opportunity and advantage. They wanted to seek opportunity and advantage.

Who conquered the Inca Empire? How was it achieved?

The indigenous people, with their empires and tribal groups, were no match for the Iberian invaders who brought European colonialism to the continent. South America was colonized exclusively by two main Iberian powers: Spain in the wast and Portugal in the east. Francisco Pizarro founded Lima, Peru in 1531 then overthrew the Inca Empire in 1533. Francisco Pizarro, with 183 mean and two dozen horses, met up with the Inca leadership and managed to defeat them in a series of military maneuvers. The Inca leader was captured in 1533. Two years later in 1535, the Inca Empire collapsed.

What are the two main physical features of South America? Where are they located?

The two main physical features of South America are: 1. The Andes Mountains- which extends along the entire western region of South America from Venezuela to southern Chile. 2. The Amazon River- which flows parallel to the equator and it covers 40% of South America. It is at the core of the continent.

What is the ethnicity of the majority of people in the Southern Cone? Where did they come from?

There are a few Amerindians or people of African descent here. Over 90% of all the people in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay are of European descent and live in urban areas.

What line divided the two main European colonial advances in South America? Who worked out where the dividing line was located?

They kept fighting to expand and in 1494, the issue was brought before the Roman Catholic Church. The Tordesillas Line was drawn on a map to divide South America into the Spanish west and the Portuguese east.

How does the pattern of economic activity in the Southern Cone match up with the Index of Economic Development model?

With a highly urbanized population and with trade connections to a globalized economy, it is no mystery that the Southern Cone has the most developed economies in South America. The Index of Economic Development is stage 5.