COLOMBIA’S HISTORY
1500’s Spanish explorers arrived on the Caribbean Coast of South America.
Spaniards claimed land for themselves. They founded colonies and cities along the
coastal areas. By 1600’s the Spanish had set up estates.
Forced Indians and Enslaved Africans to work the land
Independence- 1700’s Struggle over how government would be run
(Church Involvement?)
CULTURE OF COLOMBIA
Religion: Roman CatholicLanguage: SpanishEthnicity: 57% of Colombians are Mestizo
ECONOMY OF COLOMBIA
Major Export- Coffee 12% of World’s Coffee is Produced Here
Crops- Bananas and Sugarcane Also export flowers
80% are shipped to the United States Emerald’s- most of world’s emerald’s come
from Colombia
GOVERNMENT
Guerrillas want/try to overthrow government.
United States gives assistance to Colombia’s government
President is Alvaro Uribe
VENEZUELA
1500’s the Spanish came hoping to find treasures.
Found nothing- turned to agriculture Forced Indians to do the work. Also brought
in slaves. Simon Bolivar-led fight against Spanish. Won Independence in 1821 Venezuela officially independent 1830.
CULTURE OF VENEZUELA
Religion: Roman Catholic Language: Spanish Ethnicity: Majority are Mestizo. Only 2% are
Indian
Indians- speak 25 different languages and have religious practices from their ancestors.
ECONOMY OF VENEZUELA
Oil Production 6th largest exporter of oil in the world Most money from oil went to a wealthy few
Gold
GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA
Ruled by dictatorships for many years. Elected their first president in 1959 Current President is Hugo Chavez
Controversy