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Chapter 9 Vocabulary
Term | Definition |
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Conquistador | name for the Spanish explorers who claimed land in the Americas for spain |
cultural convergence | the contact and interaction of one culture with another |
caudillo | a Latin american military dictator |
pampas | a grassland region in Argentina and uruguay |
cay | a small, low island or coral reef |
coral | the rock-like skeletons of tiny sea animals |
tropical storm | a storm with winds of at least 39 miles per hour |
hurricane | a destructive tropical storm that forms over the Atlantic ocean, usually in late summer and early fall, with winds of at least 74 miles per hour |
El Nino | a warm ocean current off south americas northwestern coast that influences global weather patterns |
canopy | the uppermost layer of a forest where tree branches meet. |
mestizo | a person of mixed European and Native American heritage |
mulatto | a person of mixed African and European ancestry |
Volcanoes | a break in earth's crust where magma and other material erupts from earth's interior |
Rain forest | a type of thick evergreen forest found in areas of heavy rainfall |
deserts | a geographic region with too little rainfall to support much plant life; also vegetation zone |
isthmus | a narrow strip of land that links two larger landmasses |
landmasses | a very large, unbroken area of land |
Volcanic Islands | an island formed when an underwater volcano builds up enough lava and ash to rise above sea level |
Plateaus | a raised area of land, such as a hill or mountain, with a flat top |
basin | a bowl-shaped depression, or hallow, in earth's surface |
climates | the pattern of weather over a long period of time |
temperate | moderate or mild, without extremes of hot or cold |
arid | dry or lacking rainfall; also a climate or climate zone that is hot and dry all year with very little rain |
semiarid | dry, with little rainfall; also a climate or climate zone with hot, dry summers and cool, dry winters |
tropical wet and dry | a climate or climate zone that is hot all year with rainy and dry seasons |
ecosystem | a community of all the living things in an area and the environment in which they live |
cloud forest | a type of high-altitude, tropical forest that is usually covered by clouds or mist |
hurricanes | the name for a tropical cyclone that begins in the Atlantic ocean |
broad leaf evergreen forest | a vegetation zone of mainly tall trees that remain green all year; also refers to the type of vegetation in this zone |
Desert scrub | a vegetation zone of mainly small trees, bushes, and other plants adapted to a dry climates; also refers to the type of vegetation in this zone |
tropical grasslands | vegetation or a vegetation zone of mainly grasses and scattered trees adapted to a tropical wet and dry climate |
vegetation zone | a large area of earth with a certain mix of plants and trees that are adapted to similar conditions |
forest floor | a bottom layer, or ground, of a forest |
temperate grasslands | vegetation or a vegetation zone of mainly grasses and scattered trees adapted to a tropical wet and dry climate |
empire | a group of territories, peoples, or nations ruled by a single authority |
dictator | a leader who governs by force, without the consent of the people |
urban | found or live in a city |
natural resources | a useful material that is found in nature, such as water, wood, coal, or oil |
economic activities | any action that relates to the marking,buying, and selling of goods and services |
livestock raising | raising animals for food, milk, wool, or other products |
subsistence farming | farming carried out mainly to provide food for farm families, with little surplus for sale to others |
barter | conducting trade by exchanging goods or services instead of money |
hydro electric power | electricity that is generated from the power of moving water |
commercial farming | raising crops for sale, often with the use of large ships |
plantations | a large farm, especially in a hot area |
forestry | the planting, growing, and harvesting of trees |
tourism | travel for pleasure rather than business or necessity; also, the business of organizing such travel |