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7th Grade UBD - Unit 7 – The Americas

South America- South America has Earth’s longest
mountain range, large rain forests, and is the home to
the second longest river in the world.

Brazil- Brazil has the greatest variety of animals of
any country in the world. It is most well known for its
dense forests and the Amazon, the world's largest
jungle.

South America is the fourth largest continent in size and the
fifth largest in population.

Almost half of South America’s area as well as its population
are located in Brazil.

Rapid urban growth continues to mark much of South
America.

People looking for better wages and living conditions are
leaving South America. Countries such as Guyana, Ecuador,
and Columbia are experiencing a large brain drain.
Key Term
South America – A
continent that
comprises the
southern half of the
American landmass,
connected to North
America by the
Isthmus of Panama.

South America is the fourth
largest continent in size and the
fifth largest in population.

It is located primarily in the
southern hemisphere, is bordered
by the Atlantic Ocean to the East
and the Pacific Ocean to the West.

The geography of South America
is dominated by the Andes
Mountain Range and the Amazon
River.
Key Term
Andes
Mountains- The
Andes are the
world's longest
continental
mountain range,
located in South
America.
Key Term
Amazon RiverThe secondlongest river in
the world and is
located in South
America.

Prior to European
colonization, the Incan
Civilization was a
dominant force in South
America.

In the 1500's, Spain and
Portugal colonized much
of South America.

One of the oldest civilizations of
South America is the Inca civilization.

The capital of the Inca civilization was
the city of Cusco in the Andes.

The Incas were known for their
distinct and developed culture.

The ruins of the Inca civilization
suggest that cities were built with
unmatched stonework and
constructed with great precision.
Maya

Incas
Aztecs
Of the three native civilizations found in South America (Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs)
the Incas were the least warlike. Their outstanding accomplishments in art and
agriculture have endured throughout the centuries as their knowledge and
expertise has been passed down from generation to generation.

The colonies gained
independence in the
1800's with the help of
leaders like Simon
Bolivar.

South America’s primary
languages are Spanish
and Portuguese.

Amazon rainforest is
home to many of the
strangest looking, largest
and smallest, most
dangerous and least
frightening, loudest and
quietest animals on
Earth.
Anaconda
Andean Condor
Giant Tortoise
Jaguar
Piranha
Capybara

Some of the natural
resources of South
America are coffee
beans, cocoa beans,
bananas, timber, rubber,
gold, spices, and salt.

People looking for better
wages and living
conditions are leaving
South America.

Countries such as
Guyana, Ecuador, and
Columbia are
experiencing a large brain
drain.
Key Term
Brain DrainThe loss of
highly
educated and
skilled workers
to other
countries.
Video- America's Brain Drain
1.
Countries such as Guyana, Ecuador, and Columbia
are experiencing what as people are looking for
better wages and living conditions?
2.
The colonies of South America gained independence
in the 1800's with the help of leaders such as?
3.
The geography of South America is dominated by
what two geographic features?
Countries such as Guyana, Ecuador, and Columbia are experiencing what
1.
as people are looking for better wages and living conditions?

Countries such as Guyana, Ecuador, and Columbia are experiencing a “Brain
Drain”.
The colonies gained independence in the 1800's with the help of leaders
2.
such as?

The colonies gained independence with the help of leaders like Simon
Bolivar.
The geography of South America is dominated by what two geographic
3.
features?

The geography of South America is dominated by the Andes Mountain Range
and the Amazon River.

Brazil forms an enormous triangle on the eastern side of the
continent. It has borders with every South American country
except Chile and Ecuador.

Today, Brazil's politics and economy have become fairly stable
allowing Brazil to become an economic giant.

Brazil has many different soils and climates, so it can produce a
great variety of crops.

Brazil is also South America's most industrial nation, producing
many types of chemicals, steel, aircraft, and cars.
Video- Brazil- National Geographic Traveler
Key Term
Brasília- The
capital city of
Brazil.

Brazil has the greatest variety of
animals of any country in the
world. It is home to 600 mammal
species, 1,500 fish species, 1,600
bird species, and an amazing
100,000 different types of insects.

The Brazilian landscape is varied.
It is most well known for its dense
forests and the Amazon, the
world's largest jungle.

Brazil is the largest country in
South America.

It forms an enormous triangle
on the eastern side of the
continent with a 4,500-mile
coastline along the Atlantic
Ocean.

It has borders with every South
American country except Chile
and Ecuador.

Brazil is most well known
for the Amazon, the
world's largest jungle.

It also has dry
grasslands, rugged hills,
pine forests, sprawling
wetlands, immense
plateaus, and a long
coastal plain.

The Amazon is not one river but a
network of many hundreds of
waterways.

Its total length stretches 4,250
miles, making it the second
longest river on Earth.

Thousands of species live in the
river, including the infamous
piranha and the boto, or pink river
dolphin.

Southeastern Brazil was once
completely covered with dense
forest.

Now it is the country's industrial
capital, home to Brazil's biggest
cities: São Paulo and Rio de
Janeiro.

It covers only 11 percent of the
country but houses 43 percent of
its population.

In the central-western part of
Brazil sits a flat, swampy area
called the Pantanal.

This patchwork of flooded lagoons
and small islands is the world's
largest wetland.

Here live giant anacondas, huge
guinea pig relatives called
capybaras, and fierce alligators.
Key Term
Lagoon- A stretch
of salt water
separated from
the sea by a low
sandbank or coral
reef.

For thousands of years, people have
been exploiting the jungles of Brazil.

But since Europeans arrived about five
centuries ago, forest destruction has
been rampant. Huge areas of the
Amazon are disappearing every year.

The government has established
many national parks and refuges, but
they only cover about 7 percent of the
country.
Reading Activity- Eyewitness To History 22

Brazil was added to the map of the
world during the great European
explorations in the late 15th century led
by Portugal and Spain.

When Europeans first reached the
coast of Brazil, the country was home
to about 30 million indigenous people,
or Amerindians.

Today, only about 300,000 remain,
living primarily in Brazil's remotest
places.

Portugal established its first colony in
Brazil in 1530.

Colonists created sugarcane
plantations along the coast and sent
diamonds and gold back to Europe.

Soon, people from West Africa were
brought to Brazil to work as slaves.

The discovery of large inland gold
reserves brought thousands of people
from the coasts and as far away as
Europe to the interior of the country.

In 1789, Brazilians tried to
kick out their Portuguese
rulers. The rebellion was
soon put down, but it started
a movement toward
independence.

By 1822, Brazil was a
sovereign nation.

Brazil has produced some
of the best soccer players
of all time. The most
famous of all is Pelé.

Brazil has won the World
Cup soccer finals five
times, more than any
other nation.

From 1888 until recently,
Brazil has struggled with
democracy.

But in 1985, the military
government was peacefully
removed, and by 1995,
Brazil's politics and
economy had become fairly
stable.

Brazil has many different soils and
climates, so it can produce a great
variety of crops.

Its agricultural exports include
sugarcane, latex, coffee, cocoa
beans, cotton, soybeans, rice, and
tropical fruits.

Brazil is also South America's most
industrial nation, producing
chemicals, steel, aircraft, and cars.
Video- Doing Business in Brazil
1.
What are Brazil's two biggest cities?
2.
Brazil’s agricultural exports include
things such as what?
3.
Brazil is South America's most industrial
nation and makes products such as?
What are Brazil's two biggest cities?
1.

Brazil biggest cities are São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil’s agricultural exports include things such as what?
2.

Brazil’s agricultural exports include crops such as sugarcane,
latex, coffee, cocoa beans, cotton, soybeans, rice, and tropical
fruits.
3.
Brazil is South America's most industrial nation and makes
products such as?
 Brazil’s industry main exports include chemicals, steel, aircrafts,
and cars.

The world is full of problems, and a
person who dedicates themselves to
addressing and finding solutions to a
big problem is called an "activist".

Studying the life and work of an activist
can help us understand how many of
the rights, conditions, and privileges
we now take for granted are actually
the result of hard-work and sacrifice.

Research the life of Simon Bolivar then
write a 150 word summary of his life.

What has been the
“muddiest” point so far
in this lesson? That is,
what topic remains the
least clear to you?
(4 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
muddiest point with
theirs. Compare
what things are the
same and what
things are different?
(3 minutes)