HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICAChapters 10 and 11

MEXICONative PeoplesTeotihuacan, Toltec, Maya, Aztecs

Spanish Conquest1519, Cortes landedConquered the Aztecs

SPANISH CONQUEST When Cortes conquered the Aztecs

they built Mexico City on top of Tenochtitlan.

They also combined the cultures of Spain and the Native AztecsBrought the Catholic religion and

Spanish language

Created a culture known as mestizo, or the combination of Native American and Spanish

Mexico gained independence in 1821

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)Est. 1929Introduced democracy and political stability

URBANIZATION OF MEXICO Most Mexican citizens are moving into the

larger cities of Mexico Maquiladoras

Large manufacturing areas along the northern border

Imported goods are assembled into finished products, which are then exported to other countries

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Creates a trade zone between the United States,

Canada, and Mexico Allows goods to travel freely between the three

countries

CENTRAL AMERICACultural Hearth: place from which important ideas spreadMayan Influence

Guatemala

United Provinces of Central AmericaDeclared independence from Mexico in 1823

Split into separate countries in 1830s

PANAMA CANAL Cuts through Panama

and connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. One of the most

important shipping lanes in the world.

Uses a series of locks to move ships through the Canal

Owned by the United States until it was given to Panama in 1999

When the Spanish conquered the Caribbean, they tried to enslave the Native Americans Needed them to work

on the sugar plantations, but the Native Americans kept escaping or dying.

Spain and other European countries began to bring in slaves from Africa.

Culture is a blend of Native American influence and Spanish influence=MestizoLanguage and religion

SpanishCatholicProtestant

SOUTH AMERICAInca

Andes MountainsEmpire ran 2500 miles along west coast

Spanish conquered Incas in 1500sForced religion and language on Natives

Independence MovementsInspired by American and French Revolutions

Simon BolivarColombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia

Jose de San MartinArgentina, Chile, Peru

MERCOSUR Economic group that

allows free trading between the countries of South America Member countries:

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay (Venezuela is about to become a member)

Goal is to encourage trading and cooperation in South America

Similar to NAFTA

BRAZILTreaty of Tordesillas (1494)Portuguese gained control of modern day Brazil

Gained independence in 1822

MIGRATION IN BRAZIL Urbanization

The gap between the rich and poor is vast in Brazil

Millions are moving to the cities for manufacturing jobs

Moving to the Interior 80% of Brazilians live

close to the ocean The government is

encouraging movement to the cerrado (plains) for farming

CURRENT ISSUES FOR LATIN AMERICA

Unstable governments

Rainforest resources being depleted

UNSTABLE GOVERNMENTHistorically, Latin American countries have been oligarchies A government run by a few people or small group

UNSTABLE GOVERNMENTHow oligarchies succeed:

*majority control of military

Censored the pressLimited free speechPunished dissent

UNSTABLE GOVERNMENT

Sometimes the military would rule in a junta which is run by generals

During the 20th century, many countries were run by a caudillo, a military dictator

ESTABLISHING STABLE DEMOCRACIES

Goals of reform:Est. constitutional government

Have a freely elected government

Participation of citizens

RAIN FOREST RESOURCESBiodiversity: wide range of plant and animal species

By the end of the 20th century, nearly 50 million acres of rain forests worldwide had been destroyed

•Biodiversity: wide range of plant and animal species•By the end of the 20th century, nearly 50 millions acres of rain forests worldwide will have been destroyed

Rainforest Resources

RAIN FOREST RESOURCESDeforestation: cutting down and clearing away of trees

Rain forests help regulate the earth’s climate

Home to about 50% of world’s plant and animal species

•Deforestation: cutting down and clearing away of trees•Rainforests help regulate the earth’s climate•Home to about 50% of world’s plant and animal species

Rainforest Resources

RAINFOREST RESOURCESDebt-for-nature swap: environmental organization agrees to pay off a certain amount of government debt and in return, the government agrees to protect a certain portion of the rain forest