The America’s-Brief Outline•Conquest

•Geography

•Culture

•Economies

•Politics

History

Who?When?Why?Result?

Columbus and Others

Downfall of ancient civilizations-Why?Aztec-CortesInca-PizzaroMayan-?

What can you see?

Environment

Incredible geographic and climatic diversity. Why?Many degrees of Latitude

Rainforests, coastal deserts, mountains to fertile plainsDesert heat, steaming humidity to frigid cold gales of the Tierra del Fuego10-15% of Mexico’s land can be used to grow crops, BUT, unpredictable weather, natural disasters diminishes that % by half.

Mexico CityFounded in a valley, surrounded by mountainsPoor air qualityWhy?

Changing Peoples

Several influences in Latin American history and culture.

Nature• Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis,

landslides…• What interests you?

– Mexico City-1985-1000’s of people died.– Hurricane Frances??

Regionalism• Topography has spawned many civil wars and

has made national integration difficult

Cultural change…

English words commonChange in eating habitsTV, Antenna’sSiesta for most, a thing of the past!

Coffee breakHappy HourQuick lunch replaces large traditional mealsSymbols of success

Elite Society

Culturally ‘white’ dominateIndians seen as unimportantWealth status and good blood are keys to the elite membership

Disadvantaged Society

Attracted to citiesPlace of opportunitySearch for a better life-Migration, cross border?Edge of poverty and end of citiesWhat are these called?

Indigenous Traditions

Local visions oriented toward village and familyNo national identity-not Guatemalan Firmly tied to traditional beliefs and valuesResist modernization and governments programs and policies

Economies and Globalization

Fragile economies due to:Foreign DebtInflationCurrency devaluationRecessionNatural disastersCivil wars

“The violence of the land is matched by the violence of the peoples, as they fight for something as noble as justice or human rights, or as ignoble as political power or self promotion”-Discuss…