Brazil Social Studies Test Monday

define canopy

high in the upper leaves of the rainforests trees where most animals live

Explain the term boom and bust cycle in the context of a country's economy

it means a period of strong economic growth followed by a period of sharp decline. in brazil coffee was the latest star product in the book and bust cycle

define bust cycle

period of sharp decline

define boom cycle

period of strong economic growth

Explain why cutting down trees in the rainforests is not an effective way to increase the amount of farm land in Brazil.

when rain forests are cut down, the land will only be fertile and affective for a short amount of time. The nutrients comes from the leaves and when the trees are cut down, there are no longer leaves which means the soil loses its fertility.

Describe the ethnic makeup of Brazil's population, and problems faced by specific groups.

Brazil faces discrimination between ethnic and racial groups. The Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans settled in the land and brought africans for slaves.

Describe brazil's economy today

Brazil has a market economy, meaning that the prices of goods are set by demand and not by the government. Their economic growth is no longer dependent on a single crop/ product as it used to be. Today the economy is diversified. Agriculture is only one part of their industrial economy- the largest economy in the south.

Describe the geographic distribution of brazil's ethnic groups.

Brazil has an african heritage especially in the northeast coast. european people live in brazil too but mostly in the south. the natives live in brazil as well but mostly in the rainforests.

Explain the reasons for the various climates found in Brazil.

Brazil is such a big country which is the reason why it has multiple climates. Areas along the coast have a cold climate in winter and a warm climate in summer. The equator also affects the climate because the closer to the equator it is, the warmer it is.

Explain the steps Brazil has taken to encourage people to move inland, and why.

Brazil made it a capital, which encouraged people to move inland. They did other things as well such as making a free trade zone and eliminating some taxing.

What problems does brazil's government face when trying to combat poverty?

Brazil's government faces problems when trying to combat poverty. poverty remains widespread. too many people in both rural and urban areas lack good housing, schools, hospitals, and police and fire protection. A wide gap exists between the poverty of the north and the wealth of the south. but dealing with problems such as these takes money. this money comes from taxes.

Describe how the different ethnic heritages of brazil have contributed to carnival

Carnival is a festival with several days of parades, music, and dance. It releases the energy and creativity of Brazilian culture. They created this because christians brought lent and they used african music.

What two groups of crop producers fought for political power in the 1800s?

In the beginning, the sugar cane producers had money which gave them power. Afterwards, the coffee producers began to gain power.

What were the major exports that the Portuguese colonists traded?

Originally, they traded sugar cane. Later in the 1800s, they began to start trading coffee.

Describe the highlands of Brazil

The highlands cover most of the country. The Guiana Highlands include Neblina Peak, Brazil's highest point. The Brazilian highlands contain mineral resources and cattle ranching.

describe the various landforms located in Brazil.

The various landforms located in Brazil are mountains, highlands, lowlands, forests, rainforests, and grasslands. Most of Brazil is covered by highlands. These highlands hold mineral resources.

Explain why annual flooding is important to the Amazon Basin.

The water carries minerals so that when it floods, the water helps to fertilize the soil. Animals also live inside of the flooded waters.

Describe the Socio economic differences found in Brazil's cities.

There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor in Brazil. It is one of the widest gaps in the world. An estimated 10% of Brazilians own more than 70% of the land and control more than half of the country's wealth.

Explain how the European colonization of Brazilians was different than other south American countries.

This country was colonized by Portuguese rather than Spain. Some similarities are that they are both europeans and they both are catholic. Another similarity is that hey both took advantage of/ enslaved native Americans.

Describe the changes in political power that happened when Brazil fell on hard economic times in the first half of the 20th century.

When the great depression occurred in the 20th century it not only affected Brazil, but if affected the whole world. Getulio Vargas was a dictator at this time and he slowed down the great depression for brazil. He also ended democracy.

define ethanol

a fuel hay can be made from sugar cane that is enabling the country to receive its dependence on oil

Explain why the amazon rainforests is called a natural pharmacy.

because many modern medicines have come from the plants in the tropical rain forests.

Describe the environmental issues facing the amazon rainforest today and the steps brazil's government is taking to reduce problems.

brazil faces environmental issues with the rainforests but the government is working to reduce them. brazilians are chopping down trees in the rainforests. this is called deforestation. The trees are very valuable because they produce oxygen for all living things to be able to breath. the government is helping by limiting too much development. the president has made laws to prevent deforestation and create conservation.

define social services

programs designed to help the poir

define favelas

slums that fill the outskirts of the city

define amazon basin

the land drained by the amazon river