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Chapter 7
Mexico and Central America
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| isthmus | a narrow stripe of land that connects two larger land areas |
| similar | having qualities in common |
| benefit | an advantage. |
| tierra caliente | the warmest climate zone, located at lower elevations |
| tierra templada | a temperature climate zone, located at mid- elevations |
| tierra fría | a colder climate zone, located at a higher elevation |
| bauxite | a mineral that is used to make aluminum |
| extinct | describing a volcano that is no longer able to erupt |
| dormant | still capable of erupting but showing no signs of activity |
| staple | a food that is eaten regularly |
| surplus | extra; more than needed |
| feature | a noteworthy characteristic |
| conquistador | a Spanish explorer of the early Americas |
| transform | to change something completely |
| colonialism | a policy based on control of one country by another |
| revolution | a period of violent and sweeping change |
| plantation | a large farm |
| cash crop | a farm product grown for producted |
| caudillo | a person who often ruled a Latin American country as a dictator and was generally a high-ranking military officer or a rich man |
| Columbian Exchange | the transfer of plants and animals between Europe, Asia, and Africa on one side and the Americas on the other |
| maquiladoras | a foreign-owned factory where workers assemble parts |
| mural | a large painting on a wall |
| circumstance | condition |
| dependence | too much reliance |
| initiate | to begin |
| free-trade zone | an area where trade barriers between countries are relaxed or lowered |
| remittance | the money sent back to the homeland by people who have gone somewhere else to work |
| reggae | a traditional Jamaican style of music that uses complex drum rhythms |