Questions and Answers
What are the two main physical features of South America?
The Andes Mountains and the Amazon River.
Who conquered the Inca Empire?
Francisco Pizarro.
What were the two main European colonial powers that dominated South America?
Spain and Portugal.
What line divided the two main European colonial advances in South America?
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Which European colonial power still holds a colony in the Guianas?
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How do most people in the Guianas make a living?
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What ethnic groups are the majorities in each of the Guianas?
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What are the five main cultural regions of South America?
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Who controls most of the land and political power in the Rural Amerindian Region?
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What ethnic background dominates in the Tropical Plantation Region?
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Study Notes
Physical Features
- The Andes Mountains span the entire western region from Venezuela to southern Chile.
- The Amazon River flows parallel to the equator, covering 40% of South America and is central to the continent.
Conquest of the Inca Empire
- Francisco Pizarro, with 183 men and two dozen horses, conquered the Inca Empire in 1533 after founding Lima in 1531.
- The Iberian invaders, representing Spain and Portugal, overwhelmed indigenous empires, leading to the collapse of the Inca Empire by 1535.
European Colonial Powers
- Spain and Portugal were the predominant colonial powers, controlling different parts of South America.
Tordesillas Line
- The Tordesillas Line, established in 1494 with the help of the Roman Catholic Church, divided South America into Spanish and Portuguese territories.
Colonial Claims in the Guianas
- The Guianas were held by the British, Dutch, and French, distinct from Spanish and Portuguese colonies.
- French Guiana remains a colony of France, while Guyana gained independence in 1966 and Suriname followed in 1975.
Economy of the Guianas
- Plantation agriculture and access to the Atlantic trade triangle support local livelihoods.
- Bauxite mining and oil deposits along the coast contribute to modest economic income.
Ethnic Demographics in the Guianas
- Guyana's population consists of 36% African, 50% East Indian, and 7% Amerindian.
- Suriname's population includes 37% East Indian, 31% Creole, and 15% Indonesian.
- French Guiana's population is primarily Creole, a mix of European, African, and Amerindian backgrounds.
Cultural Regions of South America
- Tropical Plantation: North and east coast.
- Amazon Basin: Center and north.
- Rural Amerindian: Northwestern region, covering Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
- Mixed Mestizo: Coastal west and interior highlands.
- European Commercial "Southern Cone": Includes Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil and Paraguay.
Control in Rural Amerindian Region
- Powerful elites control land and political power, contributing to poverty in this region.
Tropical Plantation Region Ethnicity
- High percentage of people of African or Asian descent, resulting from the importation of indentured servants after slavery was abolished.
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Description
This quiz covers key physical features of South America, focusing on topics such as the Andes Mountains and the Amazon River. Utilize these flashcards to reinforce your understanding of the continent's geography and significant characteristics.
