South America

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South America
CHAPTER 12

• Section 1 Natural Environments
• Section 2 History and Culture
• Section 3 South America Today

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Objectives
Section 1 Natural Environments

• What are the major landforms and rivers of South
  America?
• What climates, plants, and animals are found in
  South America?
• What natural resources does the continent have?

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Landforms and rivers
Section 1 Natural Environments

• South America has major mountains and plains.
• MountainsAndes, Guiana Highlands, Brazilian
  Highlands
• PlainsAmazon River basin, Llanos, Gran Chaco,
  Pampas, Patagonia
• Three large river systems flow into the Atlantic
  Ocean.
• Amazon4,000 miles long
• Orinocodrains the Guiana Highlands and Llanos
• Paranádrains eastern slopes of Andes and
  Brazilian Highlands

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Climates, plants, and animals
Section 1 Natural Environments

• South America has a wide variety of climate
  regions.
• Amazon basinworlds largest tropical humid
  region many rain forest species
• highland climates in Andesvaried vegetation,
  wildlife
• tropical wet and dryvarious areas dry forest or
  savannas
• ChileMediterranean and marine west coast
• Patagoniasemiarid and arid few animals.
• driest regionAtacama Desert of northern Chile,
  southern Peru.

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South Americas natural resources
Section 1 Natural Environments

• fertile soils
• water for irrigation and hydroelectric power
• forest products
• vast mineral wealthgold, silver, copper, iron
  ore, bauxite, emeralds
• energyoil deposits in Venezuela and other
  countries, including tar sands

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Objectives
Section 2 History and Culture

• What were some important events in the early
  history of South America?
• How did the colonial era and independence affect
  South America?
• What are some important features of South
  Americas cultures?

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Early history
Section 2 History and Culture

• First inhabitants arrived more than 12,000 years
  ago.
• Various early civilizations arose, including the
  Chibcha of Colombia
• Inca civilization spanned much of Andean region.
• Spanish conquered the Inca in the 1530s.
• Spain and Portugal divided the continent Spain
  in the west, Portugal in the east.
• Colonists brought new plants, animals, and
  diseases.
• Portuguese brought slave labor to Brazil to work
  sugar plantations.

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Effects of the colonial era and independence
Section 2 History and Culture

• After independence (18101830), new nations were
  still ruled by wealthy elite.
• Countries remained isolated from each other.
• Borders mirrored colonial divisions.
• Life for most people changed little after
  independence.
• Governments often changed through violent coups.

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Cultural features
Section 2 History and Culture

• great ethnic varietymixed-race, European,
  American Indian, African, east Indian, Japanese
• languagereflects colonization Indian languages
  still spoken
• religionmajority Roman Catholic also Hinduism,
  Islam, other religions
• traditional culture, despite change

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Objectives
Section 3 South America Today

• What is the economy of South America like today?
• What are South American cities like?
• What issues and challenges face the people of
  South America?

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Economy
Section 3 South America Today

• developing or middle-income nations
• agricultureranges from subsistence to
  large-scale commercial
• industryincluding products for local market and
  export manufactures
• Mercosureffort to expand trade and cooperation

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Urban environments
Section 3 South America Today

• Major cities are huge compared with other cities.
• Urban life is often hard for rural migrants.
• many large slums

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Issues and challenges
Section 3 South America Today

• reducing poverty
• high birthrates
• environmental problemsrain forest destruction,
  soil exhaustion
• political disputes over borders and resources
• violence and terrorism, often linked to drug trade