Settlement Patterns in South America

The original South American people were Amerindians. They lived in different tribes or groups throughout South America. They hunted and fished in rainforest areas where there was plenty to eat. During the 1400s the Spanish and the Portuguese discovered South America. Later, other people came from Europe. Argentina also has some people of Italian and German heritage. The main ethnic group in South America today is a mix of Amerindians and Spanish called Mestizos (Athena 2006 115). A large number of the released slaves colonized in this region, and the African impact can be seen in the ...