SAM.3

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Climate

 * ====**The Amazon River**====
 * **La Nino and La Nina**

Population size
Questions for Students
 * ====**Indigenous Peoples**====
 * **Bananas and Women in the Banana Industry**


 * [[image:rotating gif.gif width="65" height="65"]]For an historical overview of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations, link to Grade Grade 5.2**



First, definitions, then, a look at these terms and South America:
//** - absolute and relative locations: **//// absolute location is the coordinates of a place on longitude and latitude; relative location is where a place is in comparison with landmarks, or other places. //

//** - climate **// //:// // repeated weather patterns in a certain location //

//** - major physical characteristics **// //:// // features of the terrain, like mountains, lakes, rivers, deserts. //

//** - major natural resources: **//// parts of nature used by people, such as water, oil, trees, minerals, etc. //

//** - population size: **//// how many people live in a place. //

//**__ absolute and relative locations __**//

 * // the relative location of South America affects its settlement and economy because its proximity to the Caribbean and the sugar and spice plantations there made it a natural next step location for settlement, exploration, and exploitation by Europeans //

//**__ climate __**//

 * // equatorial regions are the hottest on earth, and the equator runs through the top of South America, just to the north of, and almost along the same line as, the Amazon River //
 * // The rainforest climate around the Amazon River enables millions of species to develop and grow there, providing rich natural resources //
 * // Further to the south, vast grasslands provide the basis for ranching and the beef industry in Argentina //


 * La Nino and La Nina **

[|What is La Nino and La Nina?]

[|National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration La Nina Page]

//**__ major physical characteristics __**//
> ==== > The Iguazu Falls on the Argentina and Brazil border consist of 275 waterfalls and are located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. They are a major source of tourism for the area.
 * // Ancient peoples settled in Cuzco, in the Andes Mountains, and developed advanced civilizations there, protected by the difficult terrain and high altitudes //
 * // The Amazon River runs across the top of the continent and is one of the most significant ecosystems on the planet //
 * // The grasslands in the southern half of the continent support ranches and farms //
 * For a panoramic view of the falls from several different perspectives, click here.

**//__ major natural resources __//**

 * // South America //// ’s natural resources are varied and extensive, including: sugar, oil, rubber ////, wood, plants used for medicine, beef //
 * The Amazon River is a natural resource in itself, with surrounding forests filtering vast amounts of carbon dioxide, which helps to cool the planet. Increase in farming in the region, especially of soy, has further endangered the forests as farmers cut trees to plant fields
 * Link to **Special Topic Page on the Amazon River**

//**__ population size __**//

 * South America: Human Geography**
 * // the areas of South America with the largest populations are in coastal areas, most easily reached by ships, which is how European and African people came or were brought to South America //
 * // Indian populations lived throughout the continent both before and after Europeans and Africans came or were brought to South America //
 * // The majority of the population of the interior of South America now is of Indian descent //

//Top 5 most populated nations are// //1. China,// //2. India,// //3. United States,// //4. Indonesia// //**5. Brazil** (pop.// 188,078,227) (see Brazilian flag)



Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous Latin America in the Twenty-First Century, The World Bank (March 28, 2016)

South America's Indigenous Groups Used to Line Up with the Left: Not Anymore, The Washington Post (May 12, 2017)
 * Indigenous Peoples, Democracy and Political Participation
 * This source includes poverty rates for indigenous and non-indigenous peoples

[[image:Female_Rose.png]]Bananas and Women Banana Workers



 * The Surprising History of the Banana**


 * Peeling Back the Truth on Bananas**

Banana Plantations in Latin America

 * Latin America dominates the global production of bananas
 * Main producers for export are Ecuador, followed by Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama


 * Women in the Banana Industry**


 * Bananeras: Women Transforming the Banana Unions of Latin America. Dana Frank, Haymarket Books, 2016**
 * **History Prof Finds Powerful Women's Labor Movement in Latin America**

//** [[image:Screen Shot 2017-02-24 at 12.30.24 PM.png width="75" height="75"]]Questions for Students: **//

 * // What is a “major” country? Do you think that people in smaller nations do not consider themselves to be “major”? Who decides which countries are major or minor? Can you think of examples of major or minor countries? What events might change our perception of a nation? //


 * // What is the difference between a “nation” and a “country”? //


 * // Besides North America, which continent do you know the most about? Why? //


 * // Why do you live where you live? (When did your family come to the U.S.? Where did they go first? Why? How did your immediate family get here to this town? Why did you come here?) //


 * **// Check out the South America quiz – how did you do? //**

// Sources: //

//__ Books __//


 * //Oxford// //Atlas of the World, Twelfth Edition////, 2005; Oxford University Press, New York. //
 * // De Blij, H.J.; Peter O. Muller; Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts//// (Seventh Ed.), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1994 //

//__ Websites __//


 * // Relative and absolute location //: http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzrelativeabsolute.htm


 * // List of most populous countries and their populations as of mid-2006 //// : http://geography.about.com/cs/worldpopulation/a/mostpopulous.htm //


 * // Population map of South America (permission requested) //// : http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/sageography/l/blSAmaps2.htm //


 * // Political map of South America (public source) //// : http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/south_america_pol98.jpg //


 * // Physical/ satellite map of South America (permission requested) //// : http://geography.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site= http: //www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/view/samericm.html
 * A short online South America geography quiz: http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/samericaquiz.html
 * Buckets of geography quizzes! Enjoy…: http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/index.html
 * Library of Congress country study on Brazil (economic data as of 1997): http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/brtoc.html
 * CIA country study on Brazil: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html