Chapter 9: South American Geography

Chapter 9: South American Geography

• Andes Mountains: Major mountain range in South America, stretching from Venezuela to Chile and Argentina.
• Llanos: Vast tropical grassland plain in northern South America (Venezuela and Colombia).
• Pampas: Fertile lowland region in South America (Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil), known for rich grasslands suitable for farming and livestock.
• Cerrado: Tropical savanna ecoregion in Brazil, characterized by a mix of 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 Brazil, but also Peru, Colombia and other countries.
• Amazon Rainforest: Dense, warm, wet forests near the equator, receiving over 100 inches of rainfall annually, with a large variety of plant and animal species.
• Slash-and-burn agriculture: Agricultural technique using fire to clear land for farming in tropical regions. The ash from the burned plants fertilizes the soil.
• Terraced farming: Farming technique practiced on steep or hilly land, creating step-like levels in the terrain to cultivate.

Chapter 10: Spanish Conquest

• Spanish Conquest: Period during the early 16th century when Spanish explorers and conquistadors, like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, invaded and conquered major indigenous civilizations of the Americas (Aztecs and Incas).