Chapter 8:

Learning
About Latin
America
 Lesson 2:
People of Many
Cultures
 Objectives:
You will learn to identify the major ethnic
groups in Latin America.
You will learn to describe how ethnic
groups have enriched the culture of Latin
America.
You will learn to explain why Latin
America cities are growing so rapidly.
 NEW Vocabulary
descent the origin or background of a person in
terms of family or nationality
inhabitant a person or animal that lives in or
occupies a place
explorer a person who explores an unfamiliar
area; an adventurer
colony a group of people of one nationality or
ethnic group living in a foreign city or country
conquer overcome and take control of
 NEW Vocabulary
slavery the practice of making a person the property of
another person
melting pot a place where different people, styles, etc.,
are mixed together
mestizos people of mixed Native American and European
ancestry
mulattoes people of mixed African and European
descent
valley a low area of land between hills or mountains,
typically with a river or stream flowing through it
highland an elevated region; plateau
 NEW Vocabulary
settle to adopt a more steady or secure style of life,
especially in a permanent home
establish set up
population density the number of people living in an
area
metropolitan area a large city and its surrounding
suburbs and towns
industry businesses
rural countryside
urban city
suburban a smaller community adjacent to (next to)
or within commuting distance of a city
 Ethnic Diversity
Latin America is home to people of many
backgrounds (cultural differences)
Native Americans
People of European descent
People of African descent
People of mixed descent
 Background Information:
Europeans
1. At first, Native Americans were the only
inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere
2. Late 1400s Europeans began to arrive
- Why? Explorers from Europe had begun to sail across
the Atlantic Ocean looking for an all-water route to Asia
and came across the Americas accidentally.
3. Once the Americas were discovered, Spanish and
Portuguese settlers soon conquered the Native
Americans and set up large colonies
 Background Information:
Europeans and Africans
4. Once Europeans settled in the Americas, they set
up large farms in Latin America and forced Native
Americans into slavery to work for them
5. Many Native Americans died from disease and
being overworked
6. Europeans began to take people from Africa and
force them into slavery
 A Mixture of
Cultures/Religions
1500s Europeans introduced Roman Catholicism
to Latin America
Many people have mixed cultures and religious beliefs
in Latin America
 Where Do People Live?
Mountain valleys
Highlands
Along the coasts (cities are used as trading
centers)
Brazil has nine cities with over 1 million people
Some of the worlds largest urban areas are found
in Latin America (ex. Mexico City, Mexico one of
the worlds largest metropolitan areas)
Metropolitan areas growing very rapidly because
they are centers for industry (businesses) and provide
jobs to those who live near the area
More and more people are leaving rural areas (hoping
 Lets Review!!!
1. Why is Latin America often called a melting
pot?
2. From which three groups of people are most of
the people from Latin America descended?
3. Name the ethnic groups found in Latin America.
4. What is the difference between mestizos and
mulattoes?
5. What areas of Latin America are most populated?
6. Why are Latin Americas urban areas growing
very rapidly? Why are people leaving the
countryside?