TEST 3

5.3 What are the current push-pull migration dynamics in Mexico? What change would bring about an open border between the US and Mexico that would be similar to that of the EU?

-United States has opportunity and advantage markets and jobs Mexico: Cheap labor; peripheral; low income; migration north -Mexican economy rises to a level similar to that of the united states and Canada, equalizing migration patterns and eventually bringing about a situation in which the border checkpoints between the countries could be eliminated, as they have been within the EU. Corruption, organized crime, and drug wars have made progress in Mexico more difficult.

6.5 What role does agriculture play in the human activities of Uruguay? How did Uruguay manage to build up its high standard of living?

-Uruguay has been able to integrate itself into the global trade arena and has entered into a postindustrial development status. -

Why is Middle America often referred to as a part of "Latin America"?

-colonialism- diffused the European languages and Christian religion. Europeans brought over languages and Christian religion. Latin is the "christian language"

6.2 What two main European colonial powers dominated South America? What is the Tordesillas Line and who established it?

-Spain and Portugal -Tordesillas line was drawn on a map to divide SA into the Spanish West and Portuguese East -Catholic Church determined the line

6.3 What are the three main export products of Colombia? How is the United States involved in each of them? Why is coffee not grown in the continental United States? Where are the main types of coffee grown? What environmental problems result from the cocaine production process?

-drugs, coffee. and oil -US is largest consumer of all these -US can't grow bc of climate

5.3 What are the main physical features of Mexico? How does the core-periphery spatial relationship apply to Mexico?

-mountainous regions, foothills, plateaus, deserts, and coastal plains, all with their own climatic conditions. -Mexico is a core-periphery spatial relationship, Mexico city and it's surrounding Metropolitan Centers represents the county's core: the center of activity, industry, wealth, and power.

5.6 How are hurricanes classified? What are the main categories of a hurricane?

-saffir- Simpson Hurricane Scale -Categories 1-5

5.4 What are the main altitudinal zones? How does altitudinal zonation influence human activity?

1. Tierra Caliente (hot land): Sea level to 2,500 feet 2. Tierra templada (temperate land): 2,500 to 6,000 feet ) pleasant enviroment for habitation. 3. Tierra Fria (Cold land): 6,000 to 12,000 feet limit of the tree line, shorter growing season, livestock can graze 4. Terra helada (frozen land): 12,00 to 15,000 feet - the only human activity is the raising of livestock such as sheep or llama 5. Tierra Navada (snowy land): above 15,000 feet -very little human activity

6.2 Where are the five main cultural regions of South America? What are the majority ethnic groups in each of the cultural regions of the continent?

1. Tropical Plantation Region- High percentage of people of African or Asian descent 2. Rural Amerindian region- poorest region of South America, includes countries of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 3. Amazon Basin- least populated home to isolated Amerindian groups. 4. Mixed Mestizo Region- Coastal area of the west, majority of people share a mixed European and Amerindian groups 5. European Commercial Region- Not many Amerindians or people of African decent here. More than 90% of all the people in Argentina Chile, and Uruguay are of European descent

5.3 How is Chiapas caught in the politics between the core and the periphery?

As each country claimed benefits from this agreement, the peripheral region of Chiapas sought to receive their share of those benefits. Little political or economic power is held by the residents.

5.5 Which islands make up the Greater Antilles? Where are the Lesser Antilles?

Greater Antilles includes the four large islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. Lesser Antilles are in the Eastern and Southern region.

6.2 Why would the Southern Cone have a stronger economic position than other regions?

Highly urbanized population and with trade connections to a globalized economy, it is no surprise that the southern cone is home to SA most developed economies

5.4 How does Costa Rica attract US business ventures?

The tropical climate and stable economy of Costa Rica attracts US tourist and people looking for a place to lice after retirement. Costa Rica has borrowed heavily into Finance social programs, education, and infrastructure and relies on tourism, outside forces, and economic development to help pay the bills.

What are the three main regions of Middle America?

Volcanic Islands, mountainous areas, coastal areas

5.4 What was the Iran-Contra Affair? How does this portray the politics of the region?

secret U.S. arms deal that traded missiles and other arms to free some americans held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon, but also used funds from the arms to deal to support armed conflict in Nicaragua.

6.2 What are the main economic trade agreements for the South American countries?

-(UNASUR) union of South American Nations -Andean Community (columbia, ecuador, peru, Bolivia) -Free trade area of the Americas

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

-Andes Mountains and Amazon Basin -Andes: extended along the entire western region of the continent from Venezuela to southern Chile. -Amazon: covers 40% of South America, amazon has more than 1,100 tributaries, a dozen are more than one thousand miles long.

5.3 How has the illegal drug trade affected Mexico?

-Drug kingpins have used their economic power to buy off local police force and silence opposition. Armed conflicts between rival cartels or local gangs have increased the violence that has been intensifying since 2000

6.2 Why has it been so difficult to unify the countries in this realm into a single trade zone?

-Historical fragmentation -division and Competition -Not liking the US

Who were the Aztec and the Maya, and when did their empires flourish? What happened to these empires? What are some ways that European colonialism affected this realm?

-Mayan Era lasted from 300 and 900 CE -one of the first Civilizations in middle America. Built some of the most magnificent cities and stone Pyramids in the Western Hemisphere. The city-states of the empire functioned through a sophisticated religious hierarchy -The Aztec federation replaced the Toltec and maya as the dominants civilization in Southern Mexico.

6.4 Explain the Atlantic Trade Triangle. How did it operate? How was Brazil involved?

Atlantic Trade Triangle- The shipping trade that moved goods and people between Europe, Africa, and the New World. Colonial merchant ships financed by Europe's Wealthy elite brought goods and trinkets to the African coast to trade for slaves, who were shipped to the Americas and the Caribbean to diminish the labor shortage for the colonies. The last leg of the Atlantic Trade Triangle moved food crops, sugar, tobacco, and rum from the colonies back to the European ports. The merchant ships never sailed with an empty hold, and their successful voyages provided enormous profits to the Europen

5.5 Why did the US have an economic embargo against Cuba? How is the political system in Cuba different from that of the US?

Castro's policy of seizing (nationalizing) businesses and property raised concerns in the US.

5.4 Who started building the Panama Canal? Who completed it? Who controls it today? How did the building of the canal change Panama's ethnic makeup? Why was the Panama Canal so important to the United States?

France made an agreement with Colombia to purchase a strip of land in Panama yo build a canal. however, the tropical climate and swampy terrain quickly defeated the french workers with malaria, yellow fever, and other tropical diseases. The US took over and sent civil engineers and medical professionals to panama to drain the swamps. Then in 1914 the canal was open after tremendous difficulties. Many workers were imported from the Caribbean to help build the canal, which changed the ethic makeup of Panama's population. The panama canal is a marval of engineering.

5.6 Why do tropical cyclones form near the equator? What are the stages of weather patterns that build up to a tropical cyclone (hurricane)?

Hurricanes develop over water that is warmer than 80 degrees. As the air heats, it rises rapidly

What are the differences between a hacienda and a plantation? What happened to the plantations and haciendas during the colonial era?

Plantation- local individuals were subjugated as servants or slaves. The land was planted with a single crop. Were in the Rimland Hacienda- Large land holding established by spanish colonialist for social prestige and a comfortable lifestyle (show off how much they have) The abolition of slavery and cultural revolutions ended these systems

What are the main distinctions between the mainland and the rimland?

Rimland- (the Caribbean islands and the Caribbean coastal areas of Central America) Colonialism thrived in the rimland because it consists mainly of islands and coastal areas that were accessible to European ships. Ships could easily sail into a cove or bay to make port and claim the island for their home country. Mainland- (The interior portions of Mexico and Central America) European Colonialist would enter an area and stake claim to large portions of the land.

5.4 What geographic aspects do the Central American republics share? How are the Central American republics different in their political histories? How does one define a banana republic or a coffee republic? Where are they found in Central America?

Spanish conquistadors dominated Central America with the exception of the area of Belize, which was a British colony called British Honduras. The main religion and the lingua fanca of the Central American states are those of the European colonizers, in this case Roman Catholicism and Spanish. In some locations, the language and religion take on variant forms that mix the traditional with the European to create and unique local cultural environment. banana republic - political states whose economy is dominated by a single crop. which happens to be bananas. (in honduras)

5.6 What are the main components of a hurricane? What part of the hurricane usually causes the most damage or loss of life?

Storm surge- can average 5 to 20 feet or more depending on the category of the hurricane. Cyclonic rotation is created by rotation of the earth in a process called the Coriolis effect. More people are killed by flooding because of the storm surge than by any other hurricane effect.

6.4 Where is Brazil's core region? What are its core cities? What three cities make up Brazil's political capital, cultural capital, and largest city, respectively? What is a forward capital and why does Brazil have one?

The city of Sao Paulo rest at the heart of the core region. it has grown to be the center of trade and industry for brazil. Largest city in SA. The three cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeriro, and Brasilia, along with their Urban neighbors, anchor the core region in the south.

How did the Spanish organize the structure of their colonial cities? What features were found at the center of town in the Spanish urban model? How does the Ford-Griffin Model illustrate the development of the Spanish-American city?

They structured each town after the spanish pattern, with a plaza in the center. Around the plaza on one side was the church. On the other sides of the plaza were government offices and stores. Residential hokes filled in around them Ford-Griffin Model illustrates how everything is centered around the market and commercial areas stay together -

5.3 How can the socioeconomic pattern of Mexico be illustrated? How are maquiladoras structured to make them attractive to corporations

Those of European descent are at the top of the pyramid and control a higher percentage of wealth and power even though they are a minority of the population. Small middle class is largely mestizo, including managers, business people, and professionals. The working poor make up most of the population at the bottom of the pyramid. -Maquiladoras provide jobs for workers in Mexico and provide cheaper goods for US consumers. Labor laws in Mexico are less rigorous than US laws, allowing for longer work hours and fewer benefits.

5.4 What countries are included in CAFTA-DR? Why would anyone oppose this agreement?

USA, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, & Guatemala. CAFTA's purpose is to reduce trade barriers between the United States and Central America, thus affecting labor, human rights, and the flow of wealth. CAFTA, the wealth is gained from manufacturing, which has the highest value-added profits, does not stay in the country of production. Instead, the profits are carted off to the foreign corporation the controls the industrial factory. There have been protest marches and anti-CAFTA activities in many central American countries. Costa Rica, had problems passing the agreement because of voter opposition.

6.3 How intense is the current rural-to-urban shift in Venezuela? What accounts for this unique situation? How did Venezuela become a member of OPEC?

urban population is growing. People are moving from rural to urban areas. About 90% live in Urban areas. Small amount of people are moving. Venezuela is a founding member of OPEC.

5.5 Why is Puerto Rico a commonwealth of the US?

was ceded to the United States as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Puerto Rican Voters Chose to retain the commonwealth status, although they were almost evenly split between total independence and becoming a US state.

5.5 How is Haiti different from its neighbor, the Dominican Republic?

western side is french and eastern side is spanish.