South America?

Just a weird thought... but I don't know anything about that place.

I just thought it was funny, as in strange. In Asia I'm familiar with Chinese and Russian history, India, 'Nam, the Koreas, and all that. Europe? Obviously I know what goes on there. Things get a little confusing in those areas where countries seem to be created and overthrown regularly, but I generally know about them, too.

Arctic countries like Norway and Finland, sure. Australia, NZ, all the little islands of the "Rim of Fire", you betcha. Even Africa takes up a bit of room in my head. Pick a spot and I can generally tell you something about it, whether relevant or historic.

But South America? Clueless. I know Brazil is a mess. Seems most countries there are a mess, mostly because of politics. Venezuela was Chavez and their oil supply. And... umm... Chile! Chile had some miners get trapped a few years back... Umm... I know the Atacama, but all I know is that it's the driest desert in the world and nothing lives there. And there's the Amazon. There's snakes and gold there.

That's my entire knowledge of SA. Just seems kind of weird. It's never in the news, apparently never enjoys great triumph. Until the World Cup starts, it's almost as if it doesn't exist.

Why is that?

Here's one bit of history, the War of 1870, or the war of the Triple Alliance. Paraguay took on Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina, and lost badly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraguayan_War

It wiped out about 60% of the population of Paraguay, and perhaps 90% of the fighting aged male population.

Quote: Face

That's my entire knowledge of SA. Just seems kind of weird. It's never in the news, apparently never enjoys great triumph. Until the World Cup starts, it's almost as if it doesn't exist.

Why is that?

South America has its problems. Lots of it is uninhabitable rain forest. Brazil is a little like California and Japan, not enough inhabitable land for the population so housing costs eat away at so much available investment dollars that the average person has a hard go to just get by. Building a transcontinental railroad would be impossible. The countries are isolated from each other by the same rugged terrain.

It is perfect for the USA as the balance of power keeps a transcontinental hegemon from emerging. The southern hemisphere puts any country there at a disadvantage. Animals are hard to tame and disease runs rampant. Banning DDT hurt them in this regard.

Brazil is the world's #2 cocaine market. Brazil has a history of about 30 years of boom and then crash. One industry tends to dominate during the boom then gets obsoleted. Then inflation and poverty. Then it all starts again. BRICS is nothing more than a cool-sounding name, there is no real relationship.

Venezuela is destroying itself with socialism. She is sitting on a wealth of oil but soon will be starving to death. Chile has a good agricultural trade relationship with the USA as the growing seasons complement. Much of the continent seems a good place for American tourists to star in "Locked Up Abroad."

Discuss.

Look at Argentina. Once the wealthiest nation in the Americas. Now its currency is worthless. It is suffering forty percent inflation per year...ooops... Twenty percent. I keep forgetting El Presidenta said its 20 percent so I better not say forty percent. The only employment that is available is as an applauder..... you stand there when El Presidenta makes a speech you get paid to applaud when indicated. People are so desperate for American dollars there they open up restaurants in their private homes and invite tourists for dinner because tourists pay in dollars and pesos are worthless today and less than worthless tomorrow.

They still have dna tests for "The Disappeared"... those zillions of citizens who citizens who disappeared after visits from military death squads.

In November they generally have rioting in the supermarkets and that lets the finance minister know how much to devalue the peso by, but the peso is so devalued its already a joke that entire industries have failed. No more Argentinian book publishers since their pesos won't buy paper or books from abroad.

Ecuador? British and American expatriates who opened bars and restaurants decades ago are all millionaires now. They can't repatriate their funds but can spend lavishly in Ecuador.

And one country, as I previous posted, gave its Pediatric Medical Society the sole license to authorize casinos. And to set the all important exchange rate.

So the history of Latin America is, as always, complex. The present is dangerous and the future is rarely a topic of conversation.

As near as I understand, the whole continent was conquered by European powers. Mostly Spain and Portugal. I guess French Guiana was probably France. With each country there was either a war over independence or the country occupying left without a fight. Add in a lot of dictators after that and maybe some civil wars.

Argentina is the only country I know a little detail about, and most of that comes from the musical Evita.

Possibly the only place a war was fought over bird doo doo.

Actually, I think French Guiana is still a part of France.

Quote: Face

Why is that?

Possibly because there is relatively little immigration into the USA from South America (outside of Colombia). It's not zero as you will meet Peruvians and Brazilians, but relative to Mexico, Central America, Panama, and the Caribbean, the numbers are very small.

Virtually no great financial decisions affecting the USA are determined in South America. No wars in our history have involved SA (Unlike Mexican-American War, the Spanish American War, the Grenada Conflict, the Halls of Montezuma, the Alamo, etc. involving North America). Presidents since Taft have been going there, but it has always been an aside to International Politics.

Outside of drugs and Colombia, most people don't think about SA.

But you should have heard of the Incan Empire, that with the Aztec and Mayan empire in North America was one of the three great empires of the Pre-Colombian world. But the bulk of the population lived from latitudes of Panama to Arizona.

Just a few thoughts without googling.
0) What was Benjamin Franklin's preferred name for the USA? How does that relate to SA country names.

I) How many continents are there? In Italy, Spain, France and many other countries children are taught that there are 6 continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica and The Americas). there is no such thing as South and North America.

2) Tying in with point number one is the use of American to refer to citizens of the USA. Is it unfair? Do we have a right to the name? Does it represent imperialism? I've read a lot about this idea, so I will let anyone else express opinions.

3) Is South America "whiter" than Mexico? Is it a fair question, and if so what is the answer?

4) Argentina was once one of the richest countries in the world (on a per capita basis) as it never had the population before WWII of one of the Great Powers in Europe. What happened?

5) Can you drive to South America given a really long vacation?

And yes Guinea is part of France. It is just called Guinea, and not "French Guinea".

Quote: Pacomartin

I) How many continents are there? In Italy, Spain, France and many other countries children are taught that there are 6 continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica and The Americas). there is no such thing as South and North America.

I was taught you could call it "Eurasia." There are 7 continents. North and South America have different plates underneath the surface and have not connected in over 100 years.

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2) Tying in with point number one is the use of American to refer to citizens of the USA. Is it unfair? Do we have a right to the name? Does it represent imperialism? I've read a lot about this idea, so I will let anyone else express opinions.

No, it is not unfair and in my experience those who say it is have a leftist, anti-america, anti-white axe to grind. USA is the only country with "America" in it's formal as well as informal name, that is why our citizens are called "Americans." Had it been "Canadian States of America" it might be different. Had The War of Northern Aggression ended differently I am guessing we would have "Americans" and "Confederates" so there is also something to be said for being first-mover.

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4) Argentina was once one of the richest countries in the world (on a per capita basis) as it never had the population before WWII of one of the Great Powers in Europe. What happened?

Backed the wrong side in WWII?

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5) Can you drive to South America given a really long vacation?

You decide.

Quote: AZDuffman

I was taught you could call it "Eurasia." There are 7 continents. North and South America have different plates underneath the surface and have not connected in over 100 years.

Part of the question is are the continents about geography, sociology, or both? Certainly Antarctica is about geography. Eurasia is more about geography, while at the same time most students recognize that Europe is of such social significance that it is historically associated with a continent.

Certainly North and South America are different tectonic plates. Some people think they shouldn't really be divided at Panama , but through Southern Mexico. At one point Panama was an island.

I am not saying that either view is right or wrong, but it is a fact that millions of children are taught that "The Americas" are a single continent.