AP Spanish Language: Economic Issues in Latin America 🌎

Hey there! Let's get you prepped for the AP Spanish Language exam with a deep dive into Latin American economic issues, using El Salvador as our case study. We'll break down complex topics, connect the dots, and get you feeling confident. Ready? Let's go! 💪

Economic Issues: El Salvador Case Study

Jump to Vocab | Jump to Practice Questions

Understanding the Basics

To understand economic issues, we need to see how political and social issues impact resource allocation. We'll focus on El Salvador 🇸🇻, a country known for its socioeconomic inequality, violence, unemployment, and corruption.

The Civil War (1979-1992)

• Key Players:
  • Government (protecting the rich)
  • FMLN (leftist guerillas advocating for the poor)
• Devastating Impact:
  • Over 75,000 deaths and many "disappeared"
  • Government was a major human rights violator, targeting poor villages suspected of supporting guerillas.
  • Massacres and bombings were common, especially in 1982 and 1983. * Aftermath:
  • Distrust between citizens and the government remains high even after the 1992 Peace Accords.

Coffins of youth killed by the National Guard after a theater performance critical of the government. Rosario Church, San Salvador. October 1979. Photo by Susan Meiselas

Economic Turmoil and Violence

• Infrastructure Failure:
  • Lack of investment in buildings, roads, power plants, and water systems.
  • Rural areas especially hard hit, with limited access to basic services.
• Currency Issues:
  • Adoption of the U.S. dollar in 2001 made basic goods more expensive.
• Limited Opportunities:
  • Young people, growing up in a militarized society, turned to gangs for financial and social support.

A young FMLN guerrilla enters the village to visit family and friends where laundry is being done at communal water holes, wells, and streams. Image by Larry Trowell

Increase in Crime

• Why Crime Increased:
  • Lack of economic opportunities.
  • Allure of protection and prosperity offered by cartels.
  • Normalization of high school dropouts, dysfunctional families, and easy access to arms and drugs.
  • Deportation of Salvadorans from the U.S., who brought gang activity back home.
• Gang Influence:
  • Gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18 took over neighborhoods in San Salvador.

Image by Larry Trowell, provided by Magnum Photos and The Historical Collection Image from The Economist

Mass Migration and Family Breakdown

• Migration Drivers:
  • Search for better life and reunification with family.
  • Increased risk of youth involvement in gangs, crime, and substance abuse for children left behind.
• Migration Numbers:
  • The Salvadoran immigrant population nearly tripled between 1990 and 2016.

Figure from Migration Policy Institute

Summary

• Key Takeaways:
  • The civil war destroyed infrastructure and trust in the government.
  • Lack of investment in infrastructure hindered economic growth.
  • Violence and crime increased due to lack of opportunities.
  • Mass migration has broken down family structures and increased youth vulnerability.

Vocab 🔑

• Guerra civil - war between two actors/forces within a nation-state
• Desigualdad - lack of equal access to life opportunities which results in issues such as famine, poverty and social division
• Crimen - Crime
• Moneda nacional - Currency of a nation
• Cartel - organizations that supply goods and want to maintain them at high level prices to debunk all competition. Usually refers to drug cartels.
• Desempleo - Unemployment

Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

1. ¿Cuál fue una de las principales consecuencias de la guerra civil en El Salvador? a) Un aumento en la inversión extranjera b) Una mejora en la infraestructura nacional c) Un incremento en la desigualdad y la violencia d) Una disminución en la migración

2. ¿Por qué muchos jóvenes en El Salvador se involucraron en pandillas? a) Por el apoyo del gobierno b) Por la falta de oportunidades económicas y sociales c) Por la abundancia de programas educativos d) Por la estabilidad política

3. ¿Qué impacto tuvo la adopción del dólar estadounidense en El Salvador? a) Redujo el costo de vida b) Mejoró la infraestructura c) Aumentó el costo de vida d) Disminuyó la migración

Free Response Question

Explica cómo la guerra civil en El Salvador influyó en la situación económica y social del país. Incluye ejemplos específicos de cómo la guerra afectó la infraestructura, la migración y la violencia. (20 points)

Point-by-point scoring breakdown:

• Introduction (2 points):
  • Briefly introduce the topic and state the relationship between the civil war and the current issues.
• Impact on Infrastructure (5 points):
  • Explain how the civil war destroyed infrastructure.
  • Give examples of what infrastructure was affected (roads, buildings, etc.).
  • Mention the lack of government investment in rebuilding.
• Impact on Migration (5 points):
  • Explain how the war and its aftermath led to mass migration.
  • Discuss the reasons why people migrated (violence, lack of opportunities).
  • Mention the impact on family structures.
• Impact on Violence (5 points):
  • Explain how the war led to increased violence and crime.
  • Mention the rise of gangs and cartels.
  • Discuss the role of deportations in increasing crime.
• Conclusion (3 points):
  • Summarize the main points and restate the relationship between the civil war and current issues.
  • Offer a final thought or reflection.

That's it for our deep dive into El Salvador! You've got this. Keep reviewing, stay confident, and you'll ace that AP exam! 🎉