Peru's Rich History
The history of Peru is rich and colorful and is composed of many cultures. Through archeological digs, it is believed that people migrated into North, Central, and South America during the last Ice Age, about 20,000 years ago.
Some of Peru’s people migrated to the warm regions near the ocean where food from the sea was plentiful. Others settled along the Western slope of the Andes in fertile valleys near rivers. Still others lived in mountain villages. East of the Andes, rainforest dwellers existed along the Amazon and its tributaries.
There are three geographical regions of Peru: the coast, the mountain, and the rainforest. Geography is a powerful influence on how people live. The geographical region determines a people’s history, language, beliefs, and culture. Many Peruvians along the coastal desert along the western Pacific edge of Peru rely on fishing and other ocean related industries for their livelihood. The inhabitants of the hills and high mountains of the Andes endure cold, and often snowy, winters. Their food is grown on hillsides during the mild months and stored for the harsh winter. In the rainforest, both wet and dry seasons are almost always hot and humid. People harvest plants and animals from the forest as well as from the Amazon River and its tributaries.
Spanish is the official language of Peru. Yet, many people in their day-to-day conversations use dialects and even other languages to communicate. Quechua (catch-WA) is a form of the language of the Incas and is common in the Andes. In fact, English words such as puma, llama and condor came from Quechua. Aymara (i-MAR-ah) is another common language in the Andes. As in North America, Peru is a land of immigrant settlers and native cultures. Many of the native groups of Peruvians are the people of the rainforest. Over 30 tribal languages are spoken throughout the rainforest.
Think about how the geography of the United States influences people. Does where you live determine your accent? Does where you live impact what you eat, what you do for fun, and even the types of clothes you wear? How do the landscape and seasonal differences impact life in Florida compared to people living in Minnesota? What crops are grown in different states?
The people living in the Andes Mountains have a very different way of life compared to the people living in the Amazon rainforest. People in the mountains wear different types of clothing, live in different houses, and eat different foods. Why do you think this is?
There are three geographical regions of Peru: the coast, the mountain, and the rainforest. Geography is a powerful influence on how people live. The geographical region determines a people’s history, language, beliefs, and culture. Many Peruvians along the coastal desert along the western Pacific edge of Peru rely on fishing and other ocean related industries for their livelihood. The inhabitants of the hills and high mountains of the Andes endure cold, and often snowy, winters. Their food is grown on hillsides during the mild months and stored for the harsh winter. In the rainforest, both wet and dry seasons are almost always hot and humid. People harvest plants and animals from the forest as well as from the Amazon River and its tributaries.
This Shaman is from the Amazon Rainforest. In the rainforest, a shaman acts as the local doctor. Shaman help sick people with medicine made from plants gathered in the surrounding forest.
Think about how the geography of the United States influences people. Does where you live determine your accent? Does where you live impact what you eat, what you do for fun, and even the types of clothes you wear? How do the landscape and seasonal differences impact life in Florida compared to people living in Minnesota? What crops are grown in different states?
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Comments
Hi. We are an 8th grade spanish class at Brickton Montessori and we read your web page and thought it was very interesting. We really loved it.
-8th grade spanish class at Brickton
Posted by: 8th Grade Spanish Class | March 21, 2007 6:40 PM
The Amazon Rainforest was our overwhelming choice because of the rich variety of animals and vegetation. However, we also would like to see the Andes Mountains and the Incan ruins there. Plus some of us have never seen a mountain or an ocean.
Posted by: 5th Grade HAWK | March 26, 2007 8:42 PM
We had a split decision on this one. Some wanted to visit the Amazon because of the rich variety of animals and vegetation there. They felt that one might even discover a new species. Others preferred the Pacific Ocean because it is an area they have not explored as they saw the rainforest with you last year. They felt the coast would be relaxing and provide new learning experiences.
Posted by: 4th Grade HAWK C.R. Hanna Elementary | March 27, 2007 8:46 PM
We felt we would like to visit the Amazon Rainforest because, most of us have been to the Ocean and the Mountains, but the Rainforest would give us new and exciting information and places to explore, and animals to discover.
Posted by: C. Lewis 5th Grade class | April 2, 2007 3:46 PM
will u do me a favor, can u bring me a souvenier??? just kidding um i really think its cool...what is peru like????
Posted by: ui | April 3, 2007 1:29 AM
Looks good! Keep up the great work. It very impressive. Thanks!
Posted by: Allan | June 16, 2007 6:34 PM