Chapter 1
List the cardinal and intermediate directions.
N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SW, SE,
explain the difference between commercial and subsistence farming
commercial - to sell
subsistence - for your family
do education and healthcare go hand in hand together?
yes
describe slash and burn
grow the crops, harvest, burn the ground
What is syncretism? How has it affected today's world.
Syncretism is the blending of different religious, cultural, or philosophical beliefs and practices into a new, unique system, creating hybrid traditions like jazz music, La Virgen de Guadalupe, or Rastafarianism, demonstrating humanity's interconnectedness and cultural evolution, though sometimes leading to diluted belief systems or conflict, as seen in modern America's mix of worldviews and the cultural clashes during colonization.
Where is the Ring of Fire located? What is the significance of the Ring of Fire?
Pacific ocean - lots of natural disasters
Christianity - God, Bible
Islam - Allah, Quran
Judaism - No messiah, Torah
Buddhism - way of life before religion, reincarnation
Hinduism - South asian, multiple gods
describe how the U.S is a successful country with a high standard of living.
The U.S. is considered successful with a high standard of living due to its massive, innovative economy, high GDP per capita, strong consumerism, and robust opportunities for education and career growth, supported by a constitutionally-protected market, abundant resources, world-class universities, and a culture valuing entrepreneurship and personal freedom, leading to high availability of goods, services, and diverse experiences, though some measures show less equitable wealth distribution compared to other developed nations.
define maquiladora. is it beneficial for both countries or just one?
A maquiladora is a foreign-owned factory in Mexico that imports raw materials and components duty-free, assembles or processes them using local labor, and then exports the finished products, primarily back to the originating country (often the U.S.). These operations function under Mexico's IMMEX program (Industria Manufacturera Maquiladora y de Servicio de Exportación) which provides significant tax and tariff incentives.
Explain the rainshadow effect
The rain shadow effect is a climate pattern where a mountain range blocks rain, creating a dry "shadow" area on the side away from the prevailing winds (leeward side) while the windward side gets lush rainfall. Moist air rises, cools, and drops precipitation (rain/snow) on the windward slope, then descends as dry, warm air on the other side, leading to arid conditions, deserts, or drier landscapes like eastern Washington, Nevada, or the leeward side of the Himalayas.
Explain how elevation changes the temperature
low - hot high- cold
define industrialization and how it has affected the world
the development of industries in a city or country - has grown positively and negatively
explain how the U.S has become such a diverse country
The U.S. became diverse through centuries of immigration from nearly every corner of the globe, starting with European colonization and forced migration of enslaved Africans, followed by waves of Irish, German, Chinese, Italian, and later Latin American and Asian immigrants, all building on the existing Indigenous populations, creating a "melting pot" shaped by varied motivations like religious freedom, economic opportunity, and escape from persecution, with ongoing shifts as new groups arrive and spread across the nation.
Describe the first three major civilizations in Latin America.
The first three major civilizations in Latin America, in chronological order of prominence, were the Olmec, the first Mesoamerican culture known for colossal heads and early writing; the Maya, renowned for advanced calendars, math, cities like Tikal, and rainforest agriculture; and the Aztec (or Mexica), who built the vast island empire of Tenochtitlan with chinampa farming and elaborate temples in modern Mexico. These cultures laid foundations for later societies, influencing art, religion, and engineering across the region.
list and describe the three types of geographic boundaries
The three main types of geographic boundaries in human geography are Physical, Cultural, and Geometric, separating areas by natural barriers (rivers, mountains), cultural traits (language, religion), or straight lines (treaties, meridians), respectively, all defining political and social spaces. Other categories also exist, like Superimposed (imposed) and Antecedent/Subsequent (historical development), but Physical, Cultural, and Geometric are fundamental classifications.
Compare and contrast weather and climate
climate - weather for a period of time
weather - for a certain amount of time
explain renewable and nonrenewable resources
renewable - can be renewed
nonrenewable - cannot be renewed
what economy did the U.S first have? what economy do we have now?
The U.S. started as a largely agrarian, colonial economy focused on farming and trade, evolving through an industrial revolution into today's complex, high-tech service-based and mixed economy, characterized by capitalism but with government regulation in key areas like defense and healthcare.
Explain the family and status of women in Latin America. Know the difference between patriarchal
and matriarchal.
Latin American family life is a complex blend of traditional patriarchy (male authority, machismo) and strong female influence, where women, especially mothers (matriarchs), are pillars of strength, nurturing, and family cohesion, often managing the household despite facing systemic sexism and violence. A patriarchal system centers power in men (fathers/husbands) with strict gender roles, while a matriarchal system places women in charge, though Latin America is rarely a pure matriarchy, but rather a hybrid where women wield de facto power within the domestic sphere despite de jure male dominance.
Explain Christopher Columbus and his voyages/travels/journeys. How did Columbus and European settlers influence the culture of the new land discovered? How did this impact the Native Americans?
Christopher Columbus's four voyages (1492-1504) opened the Americas to European colonization, triggering the transformative Columbian Exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and people, but brought devastating violence, disease, and exploitation to Native Americans, fundamentally altering their cultures and leading to massive population decline through warfare, slavery, and introduced illnesses like smallpox, initiating a complex, often brutal, legacy still felt today. European settlers introduced Christianity, new technologies (iron tools, guns), livestock (horses, cattle), and crops (sugar, wheat), while extracting resources, fundamentally reshaping New World societies and cultures.
Describe the zones of latitude and explain the wind patterns for each zone of latitude
Earth's latitude zones (Tropical 0-30°, Temperate 30-60°, Polar 60-90°) drive distinct wind patterns: the Trade Winds (easterlies) near the equator, the Westerlies in the mid-latitudes, and Polar Easterlies at the poles, all shaped by uneven solar heating and the Coriolis effect, creating three major circulation cells (Hadley, Ferrel, Polar) that move heat and moisture globally.
explain how overcrowding has had a negative impact
can lead to negative effects on physical health, mental health, social well-being, academic performance, and the environment
identify the characteristics of NAFTA/USMCA.
NAFTA (1994) and its successor, USMCA (2020), are free trade agreements between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, characterized by eliminating tariffs, boosting regional trade, and promoting investment, with USMCA modernizing NAFTA with stricter auto rules (75% origin, $16/hr labor), stronger IP protections, digital trade rules, enhanced labor enforcement, and a 16-year sunset clause for review. Both agreements focus on integrated North American economies but USMCA addresses 21st-century issues missed by NAFTA, like digital commerce and stricter environmental/labor standards, while maintaining core tariff-free trade.
What is the migration like in Latin America? How does the term “brain drain” relate to migration?
Migration in Latin America is a diverse flow, driven by economic hardship, violence, and instability, with skilled workers often leaving for better opportunities (brain drain), impacting home countries by reducing human capital but also bringing remittances, while "brain drain" specifically refers to this loss of educated talent, hindering development as professionals seek better salaries and conditions abroad, though some see "brain gain" potential as migrants return or send back resources
Explain how the indigenous population were affected by the European conquistadors. Was it in a
positive or negative way? Explain Christopher Columbus’ interactions with the indigenous tribes.
The impact of European conquistadors on the indigenous population was overwhelmingly negative, characterized by a catastrophic loss of life, land, and cultural autonomy. While there were limited introductions of new goods and animals (like horses) that some tribes adapted, these were far outweighed by the devastating consequences of disease, violence, slavery, and forced assimilation.