By the time the Europeans invaded America, the level of development of its peoples was not the same in various parts continent. The tribes of most of the North and South America were at different levels of the primitive communal system, and among the peoples of Mexico, Central America and the western part of South America at that time class relations were already developing; they created high civilizations. It was these peoples that were the first to be conquered; Spanish conquerors in the 16th century destroyed their states and culture and enslaved them.

Peoples of the rainforests and savannahs:

Indigenous population: Arawaks, Caribs, Tupi-Guarani zhes.

Main occupations: slash-and-burn agriculture and fishing, gardening among some tribes. Hunting and gathering play a secondary role. Main crops: corn, cassava, pumpkin, sweet potato, beans, cotton, tobacco. In fishing, various traps, nets are used, fences are put up, and reservoirs are poisoned. They hunted monkeys, birds, less often deer and tapirs. Hunting tools: bow, arrows, darts, metal-tipped spears, poisoned arrows, blowgun. Collected fruits, nuts, shellfish, turtle eggs. Crafts were developed: processing wood, stone, making tools, pottery, weaving. Main food: fish, rarely meat. Means of transportation: dugout boats, large rafts with a canopy that could accommodate up to 50 people. Clothing: before the arrival of the Europeans, it was almost absent: a belt, loincloths made of bast. Jewelry, body painting, and tattooing were common. The dwelling was one large house where up to 100 people lived. Each family had its own hearth. The houses were rectangular or round in plan with a gable roof made of palm leaves, and there was also a conical roof. The most backward tribes lived in huts and set up wind barriers. Social organization: The social unit was the community. Land and large tools belonged to the community, personal items after the death of a person were either destroyed or buried with the deceased. Rational knowledge was developed: botany, zoology, geography, astronomy, they made maps and drawings. Beliefs: animism, fishing cults. They believed in the transmigration of souls, there were sacrifices. Various festivities were also arranged, various instruments were played, and competitions were organized.

Peoples of the Llanos Orinoco:

This territory was inhabited by backward nomadic tribes. They speak separate languages. The main occupations were hunting, gathering, and fishing. Mostly collected plant foods. Some tribes did not have dwellings, sometimes they made primitive wind barriers, huts. In the rainy season, the Indians build hemispherical huts covered with palm leaves. Clothing was minimal, sometimes loincloths were worn. Social organization: live in a primitive system. The group was led by a leader. His rank passes through the maternal line. There was exogamy - the prohibition of marriages within a kindred group. Beliefs: belief in the cult of nature, there was a spirit of the moon (the creator of the world and people), the spirit of the underworld ( evil force). Shamans stood out, more often they were women.

Peoples of the Chacon:

This is the territory of Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay. Peoples: Arawak, Maskoi, Tupi, Matako.

The main occupations were gathering (plant food, larvae, shoots and fruits, wild bee honey) and hunting for ostriches, tapirs, jaguars. Hunting tools: clubs, spears, bow, arrows. Fishing was developed, for this, nets and traps were used. Hoe farming was slightly developed; pumpkin, legumes, corn, tobacco, and flakes were grown. Clothing: raincoats made of skins and cotton, loincloths made of fur. They wore jewelry, necklaces made of feathers, shells, bracelets. Body painting and tattooing were common. Dwelling: hemispherical wicker huts. They were arranged in a circle or in parallel rows. Social organization: There was social stratification. There were groups of warriors, dependents and slaves. At the head was the leader, he could have several wives. There is a couple marriage. Boys and girls, upon entering puberty, underwent an initiation rite. Religion: faith in the cult of nature, fishing cults. Shamans stood out in society. Their main function was to heal. Ceremonies, rituals of treatment and funerals were held. They were accompanied by dancing.

Peoples of Pampa and Patagonia:

Indigenous people: Patagonians. They were hunters and gatherers. Hunting tools: bow, arrows. The llama was a pet. Crafts developed: weaving, weaving, weapons, saddles, silver jewelry, knives were made. Dwelling: frame, covered with llama skin. The clothes were made of skins. Men wore trousers and a shirt, a raincoat, women - a leather apron, a raincoat. Food: meat, various fruits. Social organization: social unit - a community of groups of 30-40 families. The head of the community was the leader. Pair marriage was practiced. The girls went through an initiation ceremony. Beliefs: belief in the spirits of nature, fishing cults. Shamans stood out in society. Their main function was to heal.

Peoples of Central Chile:

Indigenous peoples: Araucans, Changos. Main occupations: cattle breeding, fishing, slash-and-burn agriculture. The land was plowed. Hunting was underdeveloped. Hunting tools: bow, arrows. Crafts: weaving, pottery, woodworking, leatherworking. Clothing: cloak, leather bandages. The dwelling was round in shape with a conical roof. Social structure: leaders, warriors, slaves stood out in society. Religion: totemism, shamanism, animism.

The peoples of fiery land:

Indigenous people: she, alakalufyy. yamons. The main occupations were gathering (fruits, roots), hunting for birds, llama, marine animals. Main weapons: harpoons, bow, arrows. Traditional clothing was made of skins, utensils were made of bone and stone. The dwelling was a ground, frame hut. Social organization: social unit - a community of 2-3 families. Communities united in clans. Marriages were exogamous. Beliefs: animism, shamanism. There were complex initiation rites.

Peoples of South America before European conquest

Vast areas of South America were inhabited by tribes with primitive technology, belonging to various language families. Such were the fishermen and gatherers of Tierra del Fuego, the hunters of the steppes of Patagonia, the so-called pampas, the hunters and gatherers of eastern Brazil, the hunters and farmers of the Amazonian and Orinoco forests.

firemen

The Fuegians were among the most backward tribes in the world. Three groups of Indians lived on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago: the Selknam (she), the Alakalufs, and the Yamana (Yagans).

The Selknam lived in the northern and eastern parts of Tierra del Fuego. They hunted the guanaco llama and collected the fruits and roots of wild plants. Their weapons were bows and arrows. On the islands of the western part of the archipelago, the Alakalufs lived, engaged in fishing and collecting shellfish. In search of food, they spent most of their lives in wooden boats, moving along the coast. Bird hunting with bows and arrows played a lesser role in their lives.

Yamanas lived in separate clans, called ukurs. This word denoted both the dwelling and the community of relatives that lived in it. In the absence of members of this community, their hut could be occupied by members of another community. The meeting of many communities was rare, mostly when the sea washed up on the shore of a dead whale; then, provided with food for a long time, the Yamanas held festivities. There was no stratification in the Yaman community, the oldest members of the group did not exercise power over their relatives.

pampa indians

By the time of the European invasion, the Pampa Indians were wandering hunters on foot. The main object of hunting and a source of food were guanacos, who were hunted from a bola - a bunch of belts with weights attached to them. There were no permanent settlements among the pampas hunters; in temporary camps, they erected canopy tents from 40-50 guanaco skins, which served as housing for the entire community. Clothing was made from leather; The main part of the costume was a fur coat, which was tied at the waist with a belt.

The Patagonians lived and roamed in small groups of blood relatives, uniting 30-40 marriage couples with their offspring. The power of the leader of the community was reduced to the right to give orders during transitions and hunting; chiefs hunted along with others. The hunt itself was collective in nature.

Animistic beliefs occupied a significant place in the religious ideas of the Pampas Indians. The Patagonians peopled the world with spirits; the cult of dead relatives was especially developed.

Araucans lived in south central Chile. Under the influence of the Quechua tribes, the Araucans were engaged in agriculture and bred llamas. They developed the manufacture of fabrics from the wool of the llama-guanaco, pottery and silver processing. The southern tribes were engaged in hunting and fishing. The Araucanians became famous for their stubborn resistance to the European conquerors for more than 200 years. In 1773, the independence of the Araucanians was recognized by the Spaniards. Only in late XIX in. the colonialists took possession of the main territory of the Araucans.

Indians of Eastern Brazil

The tribes of the group that lived on the territory of Eastern and Southern Brazil - Botokuda, Canella, Kayapo, Xavant, Kaingang and other smaller ones, were mainly engaged in hunting and gathering, making transitions in search of game and edible plants. The most typical of this group were the Botokuds, or Boruns, who inhabited the coast before the invasion of the European colonialists, and were later pushed back into the interior of the country. Their main tool was a bow, with which they hunted not only small animals, but also fish. Women were engaged in gathering. The dwelling of the Botokuds was a barrier from the wind, covered with palm leaves, common to the entire nomad camp. Instead of dishes, they used wicker baskets. A peculiar decoration of the botokuds were small wooden discs inserted into the slits of the lips - “botok” in Portuguese. Hence the name botokudov.

Indians of the Amazon and Orinoco rainforests

In the initial period of European colonization in the northeastern and central parts of South America lived numerous tribes belonging to different language groups, mainly to the Arawaks, Tupi-Guaranis and Caribs. They were mostly engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture and lived settled lives.

The rainforest tribes practiced slash-and-burn agriculture. Men prepared the plots, lit fires at the roots of trees and cut the trunk stone axes. After the trees dried up, they felled, the branches were burned. They grew cassava, corn, sweet potato, beans, tobacco, and cotton.

The Indians of the Amazon and Orinoco basins lived in tribal communities and led a common household. In many tribes, each community occupied one large dwelling, which made up the entire village. Such a dwelling was a round or rectangular structure, covered with palm leaves or branches. The walls were made of pillars intertwined with branches, they were lined with mats and plastered over. In this collective dwelling, each family had its own hearth. The community collectively owned hunting and fishing grounds.

IIAncient peoples of Mexico and Central America

Central America

AT physical geography Central America is most often understood as part of the North American continent from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to the Isthmus of Panama (sometimes the territory is extended beyond both isthmuses for various reasons - for example, the northern border is drawn along the border of the Neotropical zone).

The peoples of the southern part of the northern continent and Central America created a developed agricultural culture and, on its basis, a high civilization.

Archaeological data, finds of stone tools and the skeleton of a fossil man, indicate that a man appeared on the territory of Mexico 15-20 thousand years ago.

Central America is one of the earliest areas of cultivation of corn, beans, pumpkins, tomatoes, green peppers, cocoa, cotton, agave, and tobacco.

The population was distributed unevenly. The areas of settled agriculture - in central Mexico and the highlands of southern Mexico - were densely populated. In areas with a predominance of shifting agriculture (for example, in the Yucatan), the population was more dispersed. Large expanses of northern Mexico and southern California were sparsely inhabited by wandering hunting and gathering tribes.

The Maya are the only American people to have left written records. The history of the Maya developed in the north of the Yucatan. The Maya's main type of production was slash-and-burn agriculture.

Maya food of animal origin was obtained from hunting and fishing. They didn't have pets. Bird hunting was carried out with the help of throwing pipes that fired clay balls. Flint-tipped darts were also military weapons. The Mayan bow and arrow came from the Mexicans. From Mexico, they received copper hatchets.

The inhabitants of the Mayan village formed a neighboring community; usually its members were people with different generic names. The land belonged to the community. Other works - hunting, fishing, salt extraction - were carried out jointly, but the products were shared.

The Maya had a patriarchal family that owned property. To get a wife, a man had to work for her family for a while, then she passed to her husband.

In the Maya religion by the beginning of the XVI century. ancient beliefs receded into the background. By this time, the priests had already created a complex theological system with cosmogonic myths, made up their own pantheon and established a magnificent cult. The religious beliefs of the Maya included primitive figurative ideas about nature.

Mayapan after 1441 was significantly weakened, and after the epidemic of 1485 it was completely empty. Part of the Maya - the Itza people settled in the impenetrable forests near Lake Peten Itza and built the city of Tah Itza (Thaya Sal), which remained inaccessible to the Spaniards until 1697. The rest of the Yucatan was captured in 1541-1546. European conquerors who crushed the heroic resistance of the Maya.

Toltec Teotihuacan

In the Valley of Mexico, according to legend, the first numerous people were the Toltecs. Back in the 5th century the Toltecs created their own civilization, famous for its monumental architectural structures. The Toltecs, whose kingdom existed until the 10th century, belonged in language to the Nahua group. Their largest center was Teotihuacan, the ruins of which have survived to the present day to the northeast of Lake Teshkoko. The Toltecs were already cultivating all the plants that the Spaniards found in Mexico. They made thin fabrics from cotton fiber, their vessels were distinguished by a variety of shapes and artistic painting. The weapons were wooden spears and clubs with inserts made of obsidian (volcanic glass). Knives were made from obsidian.

residential settlements. A few kilometers from Teotihuacan are the remains of one-story houses made of unbaked bricks. Each of them consists of 50-60 rooms located around the courtyards.

The social system of the Toltecs is unclear Judging by the differences in clothing and jewelry made of gold and silver, jade and porphyry, the nobility was very different from ordinary members of society; especially privileged was the position of the priesthood. The construction of huge, richly decorated cult centers required the labor of masses of community members and slaves, probably from prisoners of war.

Zapotec

Under the influence of the culture of Teotihuacan was the people of southern Mexico - the Zapotec. Near the city of Oaxaca, where the capital of the Zapotecs was. The complex and rich funerary cult, which can be judged from the tombs, indicates that the nobility and the priesthood were in a privileged position. Sculptures on ceramic funerary urns are interesting in depicting the clothes of noble people, especially magnificent headdresses and grotesque masks.

Chibcha or Muisca

Tribal group language family Chibcha, who lived on the territory of present-day Colombia in the valley of the Bogotá River, also known as the Muisca, created one of the developed cultures of ancient America.

The Bogota Valley and the mountain slopes surrounding it are rich in natural moisture; together with a mild, even climate, this contributed to the formation of densely populated areas here and the development of agriculture. The Muisca country was inhabited in ancient times by primitive tribes of the Arabian language family. The Chibcha tribes entered the territory of present-day Colombia from Central America, through the Isthmus of Panama.

By the time of the European invasion, the Muisca were growing many cultivated plants: potatoes, quinoa, corn on the mountain slopes; in the warm valley - cassava, sweet potato, beans, pumpkin, tomatoes and some fruits, as well as cotton, tobacco and cocu bushes. The earth was cultivated with primitive hoes - gnarled sticks. There were no pets other than dogs. Fishing was widely developed. Great importance had hunting as the only source of meat food.

Weaving was a great achievement of their culture. Threads were spun from cotton fiber and a cloth was woven, even and dense. The canvas was painted using the heeling method. Cloaks - panels made of this fabric served as clothing for the Muisca. Houses were built of wood and reeds coated with clay.

The Muisca lived in patriarchal families, each in a separate house. Marriage was made with a ransom for the wife, the wife moved to the husband's house. Polygamy was common; ordinary members of the tribe had 2-3 wives, nobles - 6-8, and rulers - several dozen.

Geography lesson in the 7th grade "Population and countries of South America"

Target:

To teach children to name and show the largest countries in terms of area and population;

Find out the reasons for the movement of the population in various parts of the mainland, the uniqueness of the culture of the population of individual countries;

Raise interest in the study of geography.

Equipment: political map, atlases, textbooks, notebooks, presentation.

During the classes

1. Checking homework.

2. Statement of the topic and purpose of the lesson.

To determine the topic of the lesson, we need to solve a crossword puzzle.

The longest mountain ranges on land in South America. ( Andes)

Most big lake, which lies in the north in the depression earth's crust and is connected by a narrow channel with the bay of the Caribbean Sea. ( maracaibo)

The man who was the first to express the idea of ​​the existence of lands unknown to Europeans and who took part in two expeditions to new lands. ( Vespucci)

The highest waterfall in the world. ( Angel, 1054 m)

Russian botanist who established the origin of some cultivated plants native to South America. ( Vavilov)

What does Andes mean in Inca language? ( Copper)

A river that is part of the largest river basin in the world. ( Amazon)

The largest alpine lake in the world. ( Titicaca)

What is the name of the impenetrable moist evergreen equatorial forests. ( Selva)

Natural zone replacing equatorial forests. ( Savannah)

Semi-desert zone located in the south of the mainland. ( Patagonia)

Coniferous trees growing in the east of the Brazilian plateau, almost completely destroyed. ( Araucaria)

A rodent whose body length is 60-70 cm. ( Viscacha)

The largest snake on earth. ( Anaconda)

The largest on our planet predator birds, having a wingspan of up to 3 m. ( condors)

- Well done, guys, you did an excellent job with the task and now you yourself will name the topic of our lesson (“Population and countries”).

- Today in the lesson you will learn what the population of South America is, when the first settlers appeared, what countries are located on the territory of South America and much more ....

3. Learning a new topic.

– How many years do you think we need to travel back in order to learn about the first settlers of South America? (children's answers)

Archaeological excavations in South America suggest that the first people on the territory of the motherland appeared 15-17 thousand years ago. They were the ancestors of modern Indians from North America, which even earlier, about 25 thousand years ago, began to be settled by immigrants from Asia, who crossed the land bridge across the Bering Strait, connecting Eurasia and North America. The ancient tribes based on the mainland were at a low level of development. They led a wandering life and were mainly engaged in hunting, fishing and gathering. Having no connections with the peoples of other continents, over a long historical period, the peoples of South America created a unique culture. Agriculture was born on the mainland 7 thousand years ago. In the XV - XVI centuries. before the arrival of Europeans, a large Indian state was formed - the Inca Empire, which included the territory of modern Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Ecuador. (Show) The majority of the population of this state were Quechua Indians. In the capital of the state of Cuzco, multi-storey buildings were erected from carefully fitted stone beams. These buildings were remarkably durable. The largest building was the Temple of the Sun, decorated with gold plates. In one of the temples there was a “golden garden”, which got its name from the image of skillfully made animals, plants and insects made of gold and silver. Among the Incas, stone sculpture and ceramics were widespread. In Inca culture, literature, music, choreography and other arts developed, the beginnings of writing. The Incas were knowledgeable in mathematics, medicine and geography. Agriculture reached a high level in the Inca Empire. Canals were connected to the fields for irrigation. The lands were fertilized with guano. Terraces were built in the mountains to grow maize, potatoes and other crops. The Incas, the only inhabitants of South America, bred domestic animals - llamas.

The development of the Inca culture was interrupted by the invasion of the Spaniards in 1532 Two factors contributed to the Spanish victory. Firstly, the empire was weakened by a three-year internecine war, and secondly, it was very easy for the Spaniards to move along good, stone-paved roads with bridges across deep gorges. Spanish detachment conquistadors(translated from Spanish - conquerors) commanded by the treacherous and greedy Francisco Pissarro. He tricked the Supreme Leader of the Incas Atahualpu to his camp and captured it. Seeing this, the soldiers who accompanied Atahualpa fled. When the Supreme Inca realized that the Spaniards needed gold, in the room where he was imprisoned, he drew a line as high as his hand could reach, and promised to fill the whole room up to this line. For several months, the Incas brought gold from all over the empire. When it seemed to the Spaniards that the Incas no longer had gold, they executed Atahualpa. The Inca Empire was plundered by the Spanish conquistadors. Many unique monuments of the Inca culture have disappeared forever. But many more years 1572 The Incas continued to resist the Spaniards.

By the time the Europeans arrived, the low-lying regions of South America were inhabited by tribes that were at the level of the primitive communal system. They were engaged in hunting, fishing and primitive agriculture.

The invasion of European colonialists led to the mass extermination of Indian peoples. They died from overwork on the plantations, unknown diseases brought from Europe.

Native Indians in modern countries Very little of South America has survived. They make up a significant part of the population only in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.

The reduction in the number of Indians forced the colonialists to export millions of Negro slaves from Africa to work on the plantations. Gradually, a mixture of three races took place on the mainland - Caucasoid, Mongoloid and Negroid. Descendants from marriages of Europeans and Indians began to be called mestizos. Mestizos make up the majority of the modern population of South America.

Descendants from mixed marriages between Europeans and Negroes are called mulattoes. Mulattos make up a significant part of the Brazilian population.

Marriages from Negroes and Indians formed another group - sambo. Before mid-nineteenth For centuries, the Europeans on the mainland were dominated by the Spaniards and the Portuguese. From the second half of XIX century, more and more emigrants began to arrive in South America from other countries of Europe and Asia - Italy, Germany, France, Holland, India, China, Japan. Representatives of some nationalities did not mix with the local population and live in isolated groups. The Germans formed their own community in Paraguay and Bolivia. In large cities, often occupying entire blocks, the Chinese, Japanese and Indians settled.

On the territory of South America, Indian tribes still live, in whose way of life little has changed since the time the first Europeans set foot on the land of the mainland. Arawak tribes living in Brazil, Colombia, Peru; stupid– in Brazil; chaco- in Argentina, they are still at the level of the tribal system, lead a semi-wandering lifestyle, are engaged in hunting, gathering and primitive agriculture.

Other Indian peoples Quechua and Aymara in Peru and Bolivia make up about half of the population of these countries. Most of them are peasants, many are engaged in traditional folk crafts.

Currently, in the territory of South America live 280 million people The countries of South America differ in size of territory, population and natural resources. The largest states of South America are Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela. But even the “smallest” state of South America, Suriname, is 5 times larger than Holland, whose colony was until 1975.

The countries of South America are part of a large group of states called Latin America. Mainly, these are the countries of South and Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico. The name “Latin America” comes from the fact that the basis of the Romance languages ​​- Spanish, Portuguese, French, which is spoken by most of the peoples of these countries, is Latin.

All countries of South America are divided into two large groups:

Countries of the plain East of the mainland. Brazil - Argentina - Venezuela -

Group of Andean countries. Colombia - Ecuador - Peru - Bolivia - Chile -

Exercise: Find these countries in atlases and write down their capitals in notebooks.

All South American countries are independent states. They are on different levels. economic development. The most developed countries on the mainland are Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay. The economies of such states as Paraguay, Guyana, Suriname are at a lower level of development. Strong positions in the economy of South American countries are occupied by foreign capital. Large external debts to foreign companies and states, primarily the United States, hinders the economic development of the countries of South America. AT last years the countries of the continent are uniting their efforts to solve this most important problem for them.

Russia maintains political and economic relations with most countries in South America. These relationships are built on a mutually beneficial basis. Cultural exchanges between our country and the countries of South America are expanding. This contributes to better mutual understanding and strengthening of peace on the planet.

4. Bottom line.

State in the northern part of the mainland. ( Suriname)

A descendant from the marriage of a European and a Negro. ( Mulatto)

Capital of Venezuela. ( Caracas)

The capital of one of the states. ( Lima)

State with Cayenne as its capital. ( Guiana)

One of the largest states in terms of area. ( Argentina)

Capital of Ecuador. ( Quito)

5. Homework.

Page 159-161 paraphrase.

Ethnic composition of South America, speaking about this topic, we involuntarily mean the Spaniards with the Portuguese, who, starting from the 15th century. began to assimilate into South American sub-racial conglomerates. However, one should not forget that South America, like Russia, is a huge geographical entity inhabited by more than 250 peoples and nationalities that are in close contact with each other, giving rise to more and more new ethnic formations.

The modern population of South America is very, very diverse. It includes representatives of three different races:

• American (Indians - indigenous people);
• Caucasoid (descendants of immigrants from Europe);
• Negroid (descendants of slaves brought from Africa);

And to put it simply, these are Indians, whites and blacks. Numerous mixed groups are also widespread on the continent - mestizos, sambos, mulattoes.

Country	Area (km²)	Population (2015)	Density (person/km²)
	2 766 890	43 132 000	14,3
	1 098 580	10 520 000	8,1
	8 514 877	204 519 000	22,0
	912 050	30 620 000	27,8
	1 138 910	48 549 000	37,7
	406 750	7 003 000	15,6
	1 285 220	31 153 000	21,7
	176 220	3 310 000	19,4
	756 950	18 006 000	21,1
	283 560	16 279 000	47,1
	214 970	747 000	3,6
	214 970	560 000	3,6
	91 000	262 000	2,1
	12 173	3 000	0,24
	3 093	20	0
Total	17 824 513	414 663 000	21,5

A bit of history

Racial mixing in South American countries proceeded at a fairly rapid pace, in addition, new racial types were formed. Before coming at the end of the XV century. Europeans in South America, the continent was inhabited by many different Indian tribes and peoples who spoke languages, Tupigua-Rani, etc. However, the appearance of European conquerors (Portuguese and Spaniards) radically made significant changes in the ethnic structure of South America.

Tens of thousands of Africans were imported as slave laborers in the mines of Peru and the cane plantations of Brazil and Venezuela. Numerous populations of mixed Negro-Indian and European-Negro origin formed here. Their contribution to the local culture and participation in the ethnic processes of the region were quite large.

After the countries of South America gained independence, in Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil, there were drastic ethnic changes. This happened due to the massive flow of immigrants from Germany, Italy, Croatia and other countries of Western and Eastern Europe. Also in Guyana and Suriname, significant changes in the ethnic composition have occurred due to the flow of immigrants from Asia, mainly from India and China.

That is why most of the modern population of the South American continent is of mixed Indian-European origin, and in the northeast, for the most part, Negro-European. In some countries, rather large Indian peoples have survived: in Bolivia, the Quechua in Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, the Araucans in Chile.

Language composition

Religion

Most believers in South America are Catholics. Among the Indians, the remnants of pre-Christian religions and rituals played a significant role, and among the Negroes there are remnants of the cults of Africa. There are also Orthodox, Protestants, as well as adherents of non-Christian religions - Muslims and Hindus. However, we can say with confidence that the dominant religion on the continent was and is Christianity. Moreover, in Brazil alone there are about 158 ​​million Christians, which allows it to take second place in the world after the United States in this indicator.

South America is a part of the world with an area of ​​about 18 million km2. South America was discovered during Spanish sea expeditions.

For a long time, the states of South America were in colonial dependence on European powers. After the fall of the mother countries, a period of reconstruction began in South America.

South American population

The population of South America can be divided into three categories according to ethnicity: whites, mestizos and Indians. Mestizos predominate in such states as Paraguay, Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. The inhabitants of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile are of European descent.

In states such as Bolivia and Peru, the descendants of the natives live - ethnic Indians. At the beginning of the 19th century, the states of South America were covered by a wave of migrants from Europe.

Today, every fifth inhabitant of South America is a direct descendant of Spaniards or Italians. The vast majority of the population of the continent professes Christianity (Catholicism, Protestant movements).

In remote regions, ancient national beliefs have also been preserved. Socio-economic The population of South Americans depends on which country they live in. So the most developed state of the continent is Argentina.

In countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Paraguay, social inequality is observed - wealthy people (15% of the total population) own 60% of state wealth. About 50% of the population of these states is below the poverty line.

The high level of urbanization in the states of South America does not correspond to the real numbers of jobs. This leads to an increase in crime in some states. A prime example of false urbanization in South America is the urbanization of Brazil.

Mainland countries

South America consists of fifteen countries that are located directly on the continent, as well as in the territories adjacent to it.

South American countries: Guatemala, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Antarctica and Venezuela.

South American states are classified as developing countries. Every country has rich natural resources, scientific and human potential.

The main economic partners of the South American states are the USA, China, Great Britain and Germany. The largest cities in South America are: Rio de Janeiro (6 million), Sao Paulo (11 million), Buenos Aires (3 million), Lima (7 million), Caracas (3 million).

The settlement of South America by man ended later than other continents - only 12-15 thousand years ago. It is impossible to say unequivocally how the mainland was populated. Most likely, a person entered America from Asia. It happened during the Late Paleolithic - about 35 thousand years ago. In this era on Earth there was ice Age, and the Bering Strait connecting Eurasia and America was covered with ice. The ancient peoples of Asia migrated through it in search of new lands suitable for habitation and hunting, so they began to develop a new part of the world - America. But it took them another 20,000 years to reach its southernmost tip.

As you know, the indigenous peoples of America are called Indians. They were called Indians by Christopher Columbus, who, having discovered America, was sure that he had reached the shores of India. In European languages, for example in English, the words "Indian" and "Indian" are now spelled and sound the same: "Indian". When a European set foot in America in 1492, it was the beginning of the end for most of its native inhabitants. Very soon, European travelers began to behave like conquerors, taking away from the Indians everything that they did not agree to give them just like that. Already 30 years later, on the very first islands discovered by the Spaniards, the entire indigenous population was destroyed. The colonialists carried with them the material culture of Europe: steel weapons, horses, grain, but trade with the indigenous peoples always came with pressure on them, and ended with military operations against them and the destruction of the tribes that got in the way of the colonialists. Along with this, the Spaniards brought other troubles to the mainland - European diseases. To this day, it is not known how many Indians died from them, and what turned out to be more destructive for them: Spanish blades or viruses, to which the local population had no immunity - the usual "cold" for a European could turn out to be a fatal infection for many of the Indians., and whole tribes of aborigines died out from measles and smallpox.

Of course, not all the peoples of South America were at the level of the tribal system, despite the fact that most of them still lived in tribes - they did not need high tech to get food. Hunting and gathering could feed the tribe from generation to generation, and living in harmony with nature was the best survival tactic for these people. But on the mainland there were also peoples with a more developed material culture. Among them, the Inca Empire stands out first of all. The Incas controlled large areas of western South America. They knew how to build stone buildings, lay roads, water pipes, they had a complex social hierarchy and strong army, with the help of which they conquered and kept in subjection many other peoples of South America. The Incas knew the processing of bronze, however, due to the lack of iron ore in the Andes on their territory, they remained at the level " bronze age", Passed by Europeans already 2-3 thousand years ago. The Incas did not have horses either. The wild horse did not survive in America, unlike Eurasia, perhaps that is why the peoples of America never invented the wheel. Of course, the Inca Empire was not capable of to repulse the Europeans.In the 20-30s of the 16th century, Francisco Pizarro captures this state.Today, only stone monuments of their disappeared culture remain from the Inca Empire.First of all, this is the city of Machu Picchu (pictured).This is a stone city built in Peruvian The Andes, also called the “city in the sky” or “the lost city of the Incas.” After the conquest of their Empire, the inhabitants of Machu Picchu mysteriously disappeared.

Since the 16th century, the Spaniards and the Portuguese have been gradually developing new lands, establishing new settlements here, which turn into big cities. It is because of the dominance of Medieval Europe, and throughout the world of those times in Spain and Portugal, South America today speaks precisely these two languages. In most countries, such as Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay is the state Spanish. Portuguese is spoken by the largest country on the continent - Brazil. Together with the colonialists, the Christian religion also came here, which supplanted local beliefs. Most of the peoples of South America now profess Catholicism.

Since the 16th century, Europeans have increasingly begun to use slaves to develop new lands and work on plantations in South America. The Indians were too freedom-loving for these purposes. They often preferred to die rather than become slaves. Because slaves began to be imported from Africa. In those difficult times, the slave trade was a common thing, the conquered peoples were deprived of all rights and were doomed to death or slavery, and the concept of human rights or equality of all people did not even exist - it was a gloomy Middle Ages, the echoes of which continued to sound until the 19th century, when finally slavery was abolished. Black slaves were brought to America by the thousands. All these processes greatly influenced the population of the mainland. A hundred years ago, all of America was inhabited only by Indians - representatives of the Mongoloid race, and in the 16th century people of all three major races appeared here. Incest gradually occurred between these races, since representatives of the different races. So the descendants of Europeans and blacks are called mulattoes. They have swarthy skin and features of both Europeans and Africans. Mestizos are descendants of Indians and Europeans. Metis inhabited primarily the northern part of South America - Venezuela, Colombia. As a result of the mixing of Indians and blacks, another type of appearance arose - sambo.

Today, 358.7 million people live in South America. Among them are representatives of all human races. A significant part are the descendants of emigrants from Europe. There are not so many purebred Indians, the largest indigenous peoples are Quechua and Aymara. However, in the depths of the Amazonian selva there are still small tribes that have never met with Europeans. They live in isolation and have no idea about the existence of the rest of humanity. Periodically it is possible to discover new tribes, but their study remains almost impossible.

Racial composition of South America