Andes Mountains and Pampas Overview

Andes Mountains

• Located along the length of South America
• One of the world's highest and longest mountain ranges
• Peaks reach over 22,000 feet
• Span various climate zones (equatorial, tropical, subtropical, temperate, boreal)
• Diverse biomes: rainforests, cloud forests, deserts, high-elevation grasslands, and salt flats
• Highest biodiversity of plants and animals globally
• Traditional human settlements concentrated in highland valleys and plateaus (tierra fría, tierra templada). páramos, puna, altiplano
• Moderate temperatures compared to lowlands, but low oxygen at high altitudes
• Cradle of human civilization with early domestication of maize, potatoes, coca, llamas, and alpacas
• Coca leaf helps with altitude sickness
• Hosted numerous civilizations (Muisca, Chavín, Inca, Mapuche)
• Indigenous peoples still present, often in majority, speaking various languages and combining traditional beliefs with Roman Catholicism

Pampas

• Vast grassland region in southeastern South America
• Located north and south of the Parana River
• Rolling, low-elevation grasslands
• Mild climate, rich soils, suitable for cattle ranching, grain production, and vineyards
• Origin of the word "Pampas" from Quechua meaning "plains" or "flat surface"
• Home to native animals (wolves, deer) and migratory birds
• Fewer large civilizations before European arrival. Primarily hunter-gatherer societies existed
• Covers part of Argentina, all of Uruguay, and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
• Stretches over 1,000 miles north-south, and 400 miles wide
• Contains major cities like Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Montevideo, and Porto Alegre

Inca Empire

• Powerful civilization centered in parts of the Andes(Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
• Advanced empire organized via taxation and labor systems
• Extensive road network (flagstone-paved roads)
• lacked writing, instead used a complex record-keeping system, the quipu
• existed from the late 1400s CE and stretched 2,000 miles from north to south (including parts of what are today Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina)
• Collapsed following the arrival of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro
• Decimated by disease brought by the Spanish
• Inca wealth and resources (metal) exploited by Spaniards

Criollos and Indigenous Populations

• Criollos: Spanish-born people in the Americas who became overlords after the Inca empire fell
• Exploitation of Indigenous populations through forced labor and tribute systems
• Indigenous languages and customs were suppressed
• In Bolivia, the white criollo minority held power despite Indigenous majority. Indigenous people faced significant poverty and discrimination until Evo Morales's presidency
• Economic wealth of the Andes region shifted to resources like silver (especially in Potosi)
• The pampas economy developed around cattle ranching. Gaucho culture emerged
• Gauchos: cowboy heritage of mixed Indigenous, European, and African descent

Explore the incredible Andes Mountains, one of the world's highest and longest mountain ranges. This quiz covers diverse biomes, human settlements, and the indigenous cultures that thrive in this unique ecosystem. Additionally, learn about the Pampas region and its significance.