Central America and the Caribbean

1. Central America and the Caribbean

2. Central America • Important because it forms a land bridge between North and South America • Divides two oceans • Panama Canal – located in Panama and connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

3. Native and Colonial Central America • Cultural Hearth – a place from which important ideas spread. Heartland or place of origin of a major culture. • Example: The Mayan civilization that stretched from southern Mexico into northern Central America. • The Mayan culture was carried to other regions through military alliances and trade

4. Mayan Influence • Cities located in Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras • Each city-state was ruled by a god-king and served as a center for religious ceremony and trade. • Tikal – most spectacular cities. Located in Guatemala, center of the Mayan civilization. • Pyramids at Tikal were among tallest structures in the Americas till the 20th century

6. United Provinces of Central America • Once Spanish conquered the Aztecs, it opened the door to Spanish control in Central America!!!! • Central America was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, capital was Mexico City. Extended from Mexico to Costa Rica • 1821 – Mexico declares independence from Spain. • Up to that point, Central America had been governed from Mexico • 1823 – the whole region declared its independence from Mexico and took the name UNITED PROVINCES OF CENTRAL AMERICA: • By 1830s, the United Provinces split into separate nations: • Guatemala • Honduras • El Salvador • Costa Rica • Nicaragua • Panama (broke off from Colombia becomes independent country in Central America) • Belize (former British colony, broke away from British Honduras)

7. Native and Colonial Caribbean • ALTHOUGH CENTRAL AMERICA WAS RULED BY SPAIN, THE CARIBBEAN WAS SETTLED AND CLAIMED BY MANY EUROPEAN POWERS. • SPANISH • FRENCH • BRITISH • NETHERLANDS (DUTCH) • DENMARK (DANISH) • THESE COLONIAL POWERS MADE THEIR WEALTH IN THE SUGAR TRADE • Originally tried to use Taino (inhabitants of Caribbean islands) but they died from disease and mistreatment • European slave traders brought Africans to the Caribbean by force and put them to work on the plantation.

8. Caribbean Independence • 18th Century – Haiti (French Colony), important sugar industry had slaves lead a rebellion and took over the government of the island. • 1804 – Haiti gains independence from France • 1898 - Cuba achieves independence from Spain as a result of the Spanish-American War • Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago did not achieve full independence from Great Britain until 1962

9. Cultural Blends Central America Caribbean Cultural blends of Native Americans and Spanish settlers Spanish were dominate group of settlers Spanish language dominant Catholic religion dominant Native American, European, African mixed Slaves were brought to the islands to work sugar plantations Spanish, French, British, Danish, Dutch, African and Native American Catholic, Protestant, Santeria (African practices and rituals with Catholic elements) Voodoo – Haiti Rastafarianism – Jamaica French, English, and Spanish speakers

10. VOODOO • Based upon a merging of the beliefs and practices of West African peoples and Roman Catholic Christianity. • Created by African slaves who were brought to Haiti in the 16th century and still followed their traditional African beliefs, but were forced to convert to the religion of their slavers (Catholic) • Practice of sticking pins in dolls to curse an individual NOT a feature of Haitian religion – became associated through horror movies and popular novels

11. Economics • Export Crop – Sugar Cane (largest), bananas, citrus fruits, coffee, and spices

12. Central America Economics • Commercial farming – main source of income • Farms produce 10% of the world’s bananas • Trade is important because of the Panama Canal

13. Panama Canal

14. Panama Canal • Makes trade important • Cuts through land bridge of Central America and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean • Ships from BOTH hemispheres use the canal – making Panama a crossroads of world trade • Built from 1904 to 1914 • Opened in 1914 • US President Teddy Roosevelt was instrumental in its completion. • 48 miles long • Takes 9 hours to cross

15. Music of the Caribbean • Calypso – combines musical elements from Africa, Spain, and the Caribbean • Reggae – developed in Jamaica in 1960s. Songs deal with social problems and religion. Bob Marley was pioneer of reggae

16. Tourism • An increasingly important industry • Locals find jobs working in hotels, resorts, and restaraunts • Informal economy – street vending, shining shoes, and a variety of other activities and services that provide people with a small income.

17. Spanish-Speaking South America • South America is divided into 2 main regions (Spanish Speaking or Portuguese Speaking) • Spanish-speaking South America – Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela (Guyana – British, Suriname – Dutch, French Guiana – French)

18. The Inca • Arose in rugged Andes Mountains of Peru • Despite Andes harsh terrain, the Inca were able to build an advanced civilization • By 1500 – empire extended 2,500 miles • Road system that was about 20,000 miles long

19. Spanish Conquest • Spanish soldiers under the command of Francisco Pizarro invaded the Incas. • Spanish attacked the Inca army, killed many of its warriors and took the emperor prisoner. • Spanish were interested in gold and silver of Inca • Spanish forced natives to work in mines and on farms and ranches • Forced their own language (Spanish) and religion (Catholic) on the Incas • The Quechua – language of the Inca was overshadowed by Spanish as the settlers became the dominant culture • Spanish rule lasted for almost 300 years • Millions of native peoples still speak Quechua!!!! • VICEROYALITY OF PERU – CAPITAL WAS LIMA!!!

20. Independence Movements • Inspired by American Revolution of 1776 and the French Revolution (1789) – countries of South America sought their independence from Spain in the first half of the 19th century • 2 GREAT LEADERS OF INDPENDENCE MOVEMENTS • Simon Bolivar (helped to liberate the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia • Jose de San Martin (helped to free countries of Argentina, Chile, and Peru) Argentina and Chile were the first to achieve independence because they were the farthest from Lima, center of Spanish control Oligarchy – (government by the few) and military rule have characterized the governments of many of the countries of South America since they won their independence from Spain.

22. A Cultural Mosaic • A cultural mosaic is societies with different cultures living near each other, but keeping their separate identities • Literature • Strong literary heritage • Music • Popular music and folk music • Street Music • Arts and Crafts • Beautiful craftwork and handmade items • Pottery, textiles, glasswork, and metal-work The literature, music and arts and crafts of South America are important because they express the different peoples and cultures that make up South America

23. Economics • Economies of the region • Produces a wide variety of products because of its unique combination of resources, landforms, climate, and vegetation • Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana grow crops for export on large farms • Colombia and Venezuela both have huge oil reserves that are probably their greatest economic asset • Peru = Fishing industry • Ecuador – shrimp • Argentina – produces great quantities of grain and livestock on its vast PAMPAS • Chile’s success story • South America’s greatest economic success story • Ability to participate in the global economy by trading the products of its mines and fields with nations as far away as Japan • Export of fruit and vegetables to NA markets is important because its harvest comes during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter • Largest export - copper

24. Education and the Future • Literacy in South America • South America has the highest literacy rate in Latin America • South America supports colleges, universities, and technical schools, and there are many daily newspapers and books published which indicates that the literacy rate is high in South America • The Case of Chile • Literacy rate of 95% • Education is very important • Children ages 6 to 13 are required to attend school and public education is free

25. Portuguese Speaking Brazil

26. Treaty of Tordesillas • Spain and Portugal reached an agreement to divide South America. • Treaty of Tordesillas(1494), Portugal gained control over the land that became present-day Brazil. • Papal Line of Demarcation, (1493)

27. Native Peoples and Portuguese Conquest • Territory of Brazil – home to millions of natives • Portuguese colonists hoped to find gold – find sugar and create sugar plantations instead • Patterns of Portuguese settlement occurred along the coast because the interior was difficult to settle because it was heavily forested. • Reason why cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo were established along the coast. • Portuguese put natives to work on sugar plantations – then bring African slaves by force to replace them • Today – millions of Brazilians are of mixed European, African, and native ancestry!!!

28. Independence from Brazil • Portuguese colony from 1500 to 1822 • After Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, many people in Brazil demanded independence from Portugal • Portuguese government wanted Brazil to remain a colony • Brazilians kept pushing • Thousands signed a petition asking Dom Pedro (son of Portugal’s king, to rule Brazil as an independent country) • 1822 – Brazil becomes independent from Portugal

29. Brazilian Culture • Portuguese, Native American, and African are three influences that have shaped the culture of Brazil. • Primary language – Portuguese • Primary Religion – Catholic • Has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan!!!

30. Economic Giant • NATURAL RESOURCES, RIVERS (MORE THAN A 1,000), RESERVES OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS, VAST AREA, AND PEOPLE HAVE MADE BRAZIL AN INDUSTRIAL POWER!!! • One of the most industrialized South American countries • 80% of people live within 200 miles of the sea • Government encouraging settlement of the interior to develop its many resources • Commercial agriculture is an important part of the economy in the western interior because the grasslands (cerrado, similar to the Great Plains in the US) provide rich farmland.

31. Brazilian Life Today • Rio de Janeiro – cultural center of Brazil • Brasilia – political capital of Brazil • Sao Paulo – economic heart and largest city • Drug abuse and crime are so high in Rio de Janeiro because there is a high-poverty level and large income gap • Carnival – most colorful feast day in Brazil (people wear costumes, ride on floats. • Carnival takes place to the music of the samba (Brazilian dance music with African influences