Historical Understandings SS6H1 Explain conflict and change in Latin America. a. Describe the influence of African slavery on the development of the Americas. b. Describe the influence of the Spanish and the Portuguese on the language and religions of Latin America. c. Explain the impact of the Cuban Revolution and describe the current relationship between Cuba and the United States. d. Explain the impact of poverty, the war on drugs, and migration to the United States on Latin America.
Geographic Understandings SS6G1 Locate selected features of Latin America. a. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map: Amazon River, Amazon Rainforest, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Panama Canal, Andes Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, and Atacama Desert. b. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map the countries of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama.
SS6G2 Explain the impact of environmental issues in Latin America. a. Explain the causes and effects of air pollution in Mexico City, Mexico. b. Explain the environmental issue of destruction of the rain forest in Brazil.
SS6G3 Explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Latin America. a. Explain how the location, climate, and distribution of natural resources impact trade and affect where people live in Mexico, Brazil, and Cuba.
Government/Civic Understandings SS6CG1 Compare and contrast various forms of government. a. Explain citizen participation in autocratic, and democratic governments. [i.e. the role of citizens in choosing the leaders of Mexico (presidential democracy), Cuba (autocratic), and Brazil (presidential democracy)]. b. Describe the two predominant forms of democratic governments: parliamentary and presidential.
Economic Understandings SS6E1 Analyze different economic systems. a. Compare how traditional, command, and market economies answer the economic questions of 1-what to produce, 2-how to produce, and 3-for whom to produce. b. Explain that countries have a mixed economic system located on a continuum between pure market and pure command. c. Compare and contrast the basic types of economic systems found in Mexico, Cuba, and Brazil.
SS6E2 Give examples of how voluntary trade benefits buyers and sellers in Latin America. a. Explain how specialization encourages trade between countries. b. Compare and contrast different types of trade barriers, such as tariffs, quotas, and embargos. c. Explain why international trade requires a system for exchanging currencies between nations. d. Explain the functions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
SS6E3 Describe factors that influence economic growth and examine their presence or absence in Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico. a. Evaluate how literacy rates affect the standard of living. b. Explain the relationship between investment in human capital (education and training) and gross domestic product (GDP per capita). c. Explain the relationship between investment in capital goods (factories, machinery, and technology) and gross domestic product (GDP per capita). d. Describe the role of natural resources in a country’s economy. e. Describe the role of entrepreneurship.