Chapter 9: South American Geography

Study Notes

Andes Mountains: Major mountain range in South America, extending from Venezuela to Chile and Argentina.
Llanos: Vast tropical grassland plain in northern South America, primarily in Venezuela and Colombia.
Pampas: Fertile lowland region in Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil, known for rich grasslands suitable for farming and livestock.
Cerrado: Tropical savanna ecoregion in Brazil, characterized by forests, grasslands, and shrubs, with a distinct wet and dry season.
Amazon River: Second-longest river in the world, flowing through the Amazon Rainforest in South America, primarily through Brazil, with parts in Colombia and other countries.
Rain Forest: Dense, warm, and wet forest found near the equator with high annual rainfall (over 100 inches or 250 cm) and diverse plant and animal species.
Slash and Burn: Agricultural technique used in tropical regions involving cutting down and burning vegetation to clear land for farming, enriching the soil with ash.
Terraced Farming: Method of farming on steep or hilly land, creating step-like levels to cultivate crops.

Spanish Conquest: Period in the early 16th century when Spanish explorers and conquistadors, such as Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro, conquered major indigenous civilizations in the Americas like the Aztec and Inca Empires.

Maquiladoras: Factories or assembly plants in Mexico that import raw materials, assemble them, and export finished products, often to the US.
NAFTA: Trade agreement (1994) between the US, Canada, and Mexico aimed at reducing trade barriers and increasing economic cooperation.
Inca: Powerful indigenous civilization in South America, known for their advanced culture, engineering, and political system. The Inca Empire spanned extensive regions of South America.
Aztec: Mesoamerican culture that thrived in central Mexico between the 14th and early 16th centuries.
Mestizo: Person of mixed European (often Spanish) and Indigenous American ancestry.
Mulatto: Person of mixed African and European (usually Spanish or Portuguese) ancestry.
Peninsulas of Europe: Iberian, Italian, and Balkan.
North European Plain: Vast lowland area stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ural Mountains.
North Atlantic Drift: Ocean current originating in the Gulf of Mexico, flowing across the Atlantic and curving northeast towards northwestern Europe.
Deforestation: Large-scale clearing or destruction of forests.
Land of the Midnight Sun: Regions in the Arctic where the sun doesn't set for a period of time during the summer months.

Ethnic Differences: Cultural, linguistic, and ancestral distinctions among groups of people.
Cultural Crossroads: Geographic area where multiple cultures and ethnic groups interact due to factors like trade or migration.
Regions of Europe: Europe can be divided into regions based on geography, culture, history, or economics, but details lacking in this text.
Art and Literature: Visual arts (painting, sculpture, architecture) and written works.
Christianity: Major monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches are mentioned.
Eastern Orthodoxy: Branch of Christianity with its own traditions, distinct from Roman Catholicism.
Bubonic Plague (Black Death): Devastating pandemic that struck Europe in the 14th century.
Holocaust: Systematic persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II.
Nordic Countries: Region in Northern Europe including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.