Geography
Location: Western Hemisphere south of US.
(Mexico, Central America, S. America, Caribbean Islands.)
Topography: VERY diverse.
Andes Mountains (Vertical Climate), Amazon Rain Forest, Pampas
(grasslands), deserts, vast river systems (Amazon)
Early Civilizations (Pre-Columbian)
Mayan (c 300 -
900 Ad) Central America & Southern Mexico; Math, astronomy, calendar,
cities, writing systems.
Aztec
(1200-1521): Mexico; huge empire, legal system, very warlike, human sacrifice
Inca (1200-1535):
Peru; vast gold supply; road system; terracing for agriculture, medicine,
engineering, measurement and record keeping.
European Imperialism
Columbus 1492 claimed “New World” for Spain.
Spain and Portugal:
colonized LA. Conquered natives.
Three “Gs”: Gold Glory, God – Motives of
conquistadors (conquerors)
Population in the New World
Native Population: 90% died of disease, murder
African Slave Trade: Brought for cheap labor when natives
died.
Racial Diversity
Peninsulares (b.
in Europe)
Creoles (sons of
peninsulares) – barred from highest positions in government and church. (Criollos)
Meztizo (white +
Indian) & Mulatto (w+African) – laborers and townspeople.
Few political rights.
African &
Native Americans – bottom of social structures, little or no freedom or
rights
Feudal
Society
Viceroys –
Representatives of king or queen in Spanish colonies.
Landed
aristocracy: wealthy landowners
controlled the govt.
Military:
supported landowners
Roman Catholic
Church: unifying force ; become very wealthy
Peasants: worked
on encomiendas (plantations) very poor
Encomienda system
– Spanish get grants of land and labor of specific native peoples. (farming
or mines)
Independence Movements 18th C
Reasons: unjust condition of colonial rule, enlightenment
ideas, Influence:
inspired by freedoms won in American and French Revolutions, Napoleonic
wars distract European countries.
Lasting Spanish & Portuguese influences:
Language, Religion (RC) class structure, family, “machismo”
Revolutionary Leaders
Toussaint L’Overture (Haiti): 1791 slave revolt. 1804 1st independent country in
LA.
Simon Bolivar (“Gran Columbia”) fought for an
independent and unified Latin America. In
1819 organized an army & led a successful revolt against the Spanish.
Later named president of Gran Colombia (Present day – Venezuela,
Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama)
Jose de San
Martin (Peru & Argentina ) Bernardo O’Higgins (Chile) worked together to
drive Spanish from Chile in 1818
Miguel Hidalgo & Jose Morelos (Mexico) Priests who
led a Indian/Mestizo revolution. They
were executed but revolution continued. Mexico
gained independence in 1821
Latin America Today
Relations with
U.S: Geographic and economic closeness;
Monroe Doctrine (West closed to E. Influence),
Roosevelt
Corollary US would be police to protect foreign investments.
Good Neighbor Policy – promised to consult with LA
before enforcing Monroe Doctrine, several trade agreements (1933)
Organization of
American States: peaceful form for solving disputes and settling common
problems. 35 countries including US – (Cuba has been excluded) (1948)
Cuba
Cuba: 1898 Sp. American war US supported revolt against
Spain. 1959 – Communist revolution led by Fidel Castro, US trade embargo,
Missile crisis, end of USSR means isolation
Growth of Democracy: In recent years democratically
elected governments have been replacing military dictatorships
Economic Resources: rich in oil, tin, copper, silver.
Economic Problems
Similar to other “Developing” nations
Urbanization (overcrowding, unemployment)
Pollution: air & water, crowded cities, poor
sanitation
Subsistence farming
Cash crops
Single Crop economies
Lack of investment capital
Large foreign debts
Deforestation: Brazil, cutting rainforest for more
farmland to pay foreign debt. Threat
to world Oxygen supply