Latin American Landscapes
Name three types of plains and where they can be found in South America?
llanos-north
cerrados-Brazil
pampas-south
What is the Panama Canal?
canal that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
What is a city-state? Republic?
a city and its surrounding areas (the city governs like a country); a democracy where people elect representatives who vote on their behalf
What is Benelux?
Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
What is the euro?
common European currency
What is a cultural crossroads?
a place where many cultures intersect and influence each other
What is a biological weapon? (Give one example.)
a weapon made from a bacterial strain or a virus (ex. anthrax)
Orinoco River-north
Amazon River-Andes to Atlantic
Parana River-central (Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina)
What is a cultural hearth?
place from which important ideas spread throughout a large region
What were the Crusades?
holy wars b/w Christians and Muslims over Jerusalem
What was the Reformation?
split in Christianity b/w Catholics and Protestants who were upset with church corruption in the 1500s
What is Silicon Glen?
technology hub during the 1990s
What are satellite nations?
nations with govts. controlled by a bigger stronger nation
Describe the history of the Balkan region. What led to modern ethnic conflict?
South Slavs migrated from Russia and Poland; conquered by different group with different religions, languages, cultures
What are rain forests? Savannas?
dense forests with diverse and numerous species; flat grasslands
What were the United Provinces of Central America?
confederation of provinces in Central America after they separated from Mexico but before they became nations
What was the Renaissance?
renewed interest in art, culture, learning in Western Europe during 1400-1500s
What was feudalism? Nationalism?
social structure of Medieval Europe (exchange of land for favors); loyalty to nation (people of similar religion, language, culture, etc.)
Name three Germanic languages.
English, German, Dutch, Nordic languages
What is balkanization?
region dividing into smaller hostile units
Describe the Balkan conflict of the 1990s. What created it? How was it resolved?
Slobodan Milosevic wanted to expand Serbia; neighbors declared independence from Yugoslavia; Serbia attacked them, used ethnic cleansing to eliminate rival groups, international community became involved to stop the fighting
What is slash-and-burn farming? Terraced farming?
cutting trees, burning debris, planting crops; irrigating and planting on the edges
What are some of the problems that young Mexicans face? What is NAFTA?
drug cartel violence, emigration, lack of job/education opportunities; trade agreement b/w North American nations
Describe the economy of Mediterranean Europe.
agriculture, fishing, tourism
WINK WINK HINT HINT!
What was the Holocaust? The Berlin Wall?
systematic murder of European Jews by the Nazis; wall that divided west and east Berlin, symbolic dividing line b/w democratic west and communist east
Describe the social system in Northern Europe. What parts of this system might be unpopular.
generous social welfare (free education and medical care); high taxes to pay for these things
What is a market economy? What is a command economy? Why do command economies often fail?
an economy based on the demand of consumers; an economy based on the requirements of a nation; lack of incentive
What are some of the benefits of the rain forest? Why do people cut it down? How are some trying to protect the rain forest?
absorb CO2, medicine, home to half of the planet's species; people cut it down to farm and settle; debt-for-nature-swap
What are push factors? Give examples of push factors in Latin America.
What are pull factors? Give examples of pull factors in Latin America.
factors that make one want to leave (ex. poor medical care, education, low pay)
factors that attract a person to a new place (ex. better medical care, education, higher salaries)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in Latin America?
adv: lessens income gap, creates jobs, provides wealth to poor communities
disadv: resentment over income gap, traffic jams and pollution, cost of infrastructure, absentee business owners (not concerned about locals)
WINK WINK HINT HINT!
What are some problems related to Italy’s economy?
wealth difference b/w north and south, lack of natural resources, reliance on imports
Describe the economy of Western Europe.
manufacturing, farming, service economy, agriculture, (attracts many guest workers)
WINK WINK HINT HINT!
Describe the Northern European economy.
technology, manufacturing, fishing, trade, service economy
WINK WINK HINT HINT
Describe the economy of Eastern Europe.
behind the rest of Europe; held back by Soviet command economy; old factories, outdated machines; less urbanization than the rest of Europe
Describe the problems that pollution of caused in Europe as well as some of the things that are being done to solve the problem.
water pollution-EEA
air pollution-cause respiratory diseases, improve insulation and reduce CO2 emission