South America
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South America
North and South America are widely accepted as having been named after Amerigo Vespucci by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller. Vespucci was the first European to suggest that the Americas were not the East Indies, but a new world, previously undiscovered by Europeans.
Before the arrival of Europeans, South America was inhabited by several fairly advanced cultures - particularly the Incans, the Mayans and the Olmecs (the Aztecs were further north in the Mexico area). The Olmecs left little behind except for giant stone heads whose purpose is still shrouded in mystery. The Mayans and Incans were both at their cultural apex when the Europeans arrived, decimating their culture.
The Spanish and Portuguese divided South America between them in the Treaty of Tordesillas - an imaginary line was drawn through the continent, with all lands west being given to Spain and all lands east being given to Portugal. Due to the placement of the line and the fact that much of western South America had not yet been mapped, Spain ended up with far more land than Portugal. However, due to Spain being unable to enforce the treaty to the fullest, Portugal managed to slowly expand Brazil past the meridian. As a result, Brazil and several other countries speak Portuguese, while the western South American nations all speak Spanish.
Many South Americans are descended from Africans brought over as slaves. Thanks to their already being acclimated to a tropical environment, they were more efficient and long-lived slaves than Indians from the north. During the early part of the 19th Century, many South American nations managed to win their independence from Spain.
Eastern South America
The eastern region of South America is comprised of Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Major Cities of Eastern South America
- Rio de Janeiro - Wikipedia information for Rio de Janeiro
Other Areas of Eastern South America
Southern South America
The southern portion of South America is comprised of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and Uraguay.
Major Cities of Southern South America
- Buenos Aires - Wikipedia information for Buenos Aires
Other Areas of Southern South America
Western South America
The western region of South America is comprised of Columbia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.
Major Cities of Western South America
Other Areas of Western South America
Maps
Related Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_america - Wikipedia entry on South America
