Study Guide: Unit Test for Latin America – DUE Thursday, 3/22/2012 (ANSWER KEY)
Please answer these questions on a separate piece of paper. Be sure to study your maps of South America & Central America! (Refer to pp. 11-105 in CRCT BOOK)
1. On a map of South America, be able to identify and label the following: Use outline map of the region for practice.
Atlantic Ocean / Pacific Ocean / Amazon River / Andes Mountains / AtacamaDesert / Bolivia / Brazil
Peru / Chile / Colombia / Venezuela / Amazon Rain Forest / Caribbean
Sea
2. On a map of Central America, be able to identify and label: Use outline map of the region for practice.
Gulf of Mexico / Mexico / Sierra MadreMountains / Panama Canal / Cuba
Panama / Haiti / Pacific Ocean / Caribbean Sea
3. Who was Father Miguel Hidalgo and how is he remembered? Father Miguel Hidalgo is the
leader of the Mexican independence from Spanish rule. He is remembered as the Father of th Mexican Independence Movement.
4. How does the geography of Mexico City affect its environmental problems? Mexico City lies in a Bowl-shaped valley and that traps pollutants in the high altitudes
5. Why were African slaves brought to the New World? Slaves were brought to the New World
because they were not affected by its diseases and could work the plantations.
6. Who was Fidel Castro? Castro was the communist leader who led the Cuban Revolution to ove overthrow autocratic leader Fulgencio Batista.
7. Who was Simon Bolivar and what were his accomplishments? Simon Bolivar is the revolutionary
leader from Venezuela. He inspired several South American countries toward independence.
Bolivar helped Bolivia write to its Constitution and set up its government. He is known as the
“Great Liberator”. Bolivia is named in honor of Simon Bolivar.
8. What is deforestation? The cutting down of trees for lumber, farming or development. The
environmental problem is there is less forest to produce goods humans need.
9. What countries are included in the descriptive term "Latin America"? Countries located in
Central America, South America and the Caribbean are considered Latin America.
10. Who was the ruler of the Inca Empire? Atahualpa
11. Who was the Spanish conquistador who conquered the Incas? Francisco Pizarro
12. Who was the ruler of the Aztecs? Montezuma
13. Who was the Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztecs? Hernando Cortez
14. What type of government is in Mexico? Presidential Democracy
15. Who was Fidel Castro and what form of government did he establish in Cuba? Fidel Castro was
The leader of the Cuban Revolution. He led a group of guerillas to take power from autocratic
Leader Fulgencio Batista and later established a communist government IN Cuba.
16. What was the Columbian Exchange? The Columbian Exchange is the result of coffee and sugar
were introduced, diseases from Europe killed many people, and the horse changed life and
culture in the New World.
17. What 3 cultures influenced the New World? Africans, Europeans, Native Americans
18. What environmental problem is associated with Venezuela and what are possible solutions? The
coast along the Caribbean Sea has become polluted with oil. The government is seeking
solutions such as alternative resources, stricter and safer regulations on transport and use of
oil.
19. Who was Toussaint L'Ouverture? The leader of Haiti’s revolutionary movement in the
Caribbean. He wanted to free slaves. He is known as the “Black Napoleon”
20. What are the 2 major languages spoken in South America? Why? Spanish and Portuguese are
two major languages spoken in South America because Spain and Portugal once ruled the
region.
21. What is a command economy? The government makes all the economic decisions. Cuba fell
to communism under Fidel Castro and the United States placed an embargo on trade with
Cuba.
22. What is NAFTA? North American Free Trade Agreement between North America
countries (United States, Canada and Mexico).
23. What is the major purpose of NAFTA? To increase trade by creating a large free-trade zone. The
Zapatistas took over several towns in southern Mexico to show they were against NAFTA.
24. What group fights for the rights of indigenous (native) people in Mexico? The Zapatistas
25. How is the government of Mexico trying to solve their environmental problems? Mexico’s
Government has closed factories one day out of the week and encourage people to car pool
and limit the buses and trains to reduce air pollution and poor air quality.
26. What cultures influenced Mexico? Spanish and the indigenous people (natives)
27. How did the Zapatistas protest in Mexico? Zapatista guerrillas seized control of several
towns in Chiapas region of Mexico.
28. How is political power shared in Brazil? Federal (the national and local governments
divide/share the political power and work together.
29. What environmental problem exists in Brazil and what are some solutions? Brazil has
problems with deforestation. Native tribes and animals loose their homes. The
government has passed laws restricting deforestation and encouraged recycling of trees.
30. How does location climate and natural resources of Mexico and Venezuela affect where people live live and how they trade? Mexico location between the Pacific and Caribbean Sea which allows
opportunity for trade. Most people live in the Central Plateau (Mexico City) where land is
arable (farmable) and has enough rain to grow a variety of crops. Venezuela coastline
gives access to trade with other countries. Most people in Venezuela live in large cities along The the coastlines. Both countries cities provide jobs in manufacturing and service industries.
Natural resources such as oil provides income from oil exports. Other exports are fruits,
vegetables, coffee and cotton.
31. Compare how the location, climate, and natural resources of Brazil and Cuba affect where
People live and how they trade. The warm climate and lumber resources have increased
population in the rainforest and coastal regions. Trade in the farming and
fishing industries are where many people work to make a living.
32. Describe the results of blending of ethnic groups in Latin America and the Caribbean.
There will be several languages, religions, and other mixture of cultures in the regions.
33. Explain why Latin America is a region based on the languages of Portuguese and Spanish.
Spain and Portugal colonized and ruled the region at one time. Both countries
Languages spread throughout the region over the years.
34. Compare the federal-republican systems of Brazil and Mexico to the dictatorship of Cuba
distinguishing the form of leadership, and the role of citizens in terms of voting and personal
freedoms. Brazil and Mexico have a federal systems (national and local share power)
whereas, Cuba (unitary-no sharing). Brazil and Mexico citizen can elect the president,
Cuba citizens elect members of the Communist Party (unicameral). Brazil and Mexico
head of government is the president and Cuba has a dictator as head of government.
35. What type of economic systems exists in Cuba and Brazil? Cuba is more command
(government owns everything) and Brazil is market (entrepreneurs are free to trade)
Economies of Latin America QUIZ (Practice/Review for the Latin America Test!) Correct
Answer are in RED!
1. Customs and habits are most important to which type of economy?A. Command
B. Market
C. Mixed
D. Traditional / 6. In a command economy, who usually owns the farms and factories?
A. Individuals
B. Corporations
C. The Government
D. The farm and factory workers
2. In which economic system do consumers make economic decisions based on changes in prices that occur
between buyers and sellers?
A. Command
B. Market
C. Mixed
D. Traditional / 7. Which type of trade barrier involves adding a special tax on to goods bought into a country?
A. Embargo
B. Quota
C. Tariff
D. Voluntary Trade
3. A main part of NAFTA was to
A. Increase trade by creating a large free trade zone.
B. Create tariffs between Canada, Mexico
And the United States
C. Decrease the standard of living for some people while raising it for others.
D. Keep people in one country from buying goods in another. / 8. Which is an example of specialization?
A. A business makes many different kinds of goods
B. A country buys all the goods it needs from other countries
C. A violin maker completes the entire process of making a violin.
D. A factory focuses on producing one or two types of goods and leaves the production of other goods to other factories.
4. Which is the way that entrepreneurs help increase the GDP of a country?
A. Writing laws to protect property
B. Creating businesses and jobs for people
C. Closing businesses that make too much money
D. Decreasing goods and services in a country. / 9. Which country has the least freedom to do business?
A. Brazil
B. Canada
C. Cuba
D. About the same each
5. A limit on imported goods in a country is called:
A. embargo B. quota
C. tariff D. voluntary trade / 10. What is an example of human capital?
A. Standard of living B. Currency
C. Workers D. Buildings