Latin America History

1. Latin America History

2. Early Civilizations of Middle America • Maize –Corn • Hieroglyphics –A method of writing; using signs and symbols developed by the Mayas

3. Put the following civilizations into the correct order: • Maya • Inca • Aztec • Where would you find these civilizations? • Which one developed hieroglyphics? • Which civilization built their main city on a lake?

4. The Aztecs • Pages 162 to 163 • Chinampas-A floating garden used by the Aztecs

5. The Aztecs were another advanced civilization in Mexico where the wandering tribes were led to Lake Texcoco. • Here a vision was fulfilled of an eagle sitting on a cactus eating a snake. • This is where they built the capitol –Tenochtitlan. • This vision makes up the coat of arms on the Mexican flag today.

6. Under the reign of Montezuma the Aztecs were conquered by HernanCortez. • Montezuma allowed Cortez into the city because his arrival corresponded to an Aztec legend. • This legend was of the return of Quetzalcoatl. (this theory is now believed to be a post conquest myth)

7. The Spanish had armor and horses and were able to defeat the Aztecs with the help of neighboring tribes and the building of an army with the help of the Spanish forces recruited from Cuba. • Cortez promised them vast riches from the conquest of Tenochtitlan.

8. The Incas • Pages 163 to 165 • Aqueduct–A pipe or tunnel designed to carry water from a distant source. • Quipus–An Incan method for recording trade, numbers, and other information. • Terracing–Flattening of the land for farming.

9. Where were the Incan lands? • What did the Incans do to adapt to their lands? • How was the Incan religion? • What did the Incas use to record their transactions and history?

10. The Incas were an advanced society living atop the Andes mountains in South America. • gained great power through the conquest of their neighbors • had advancements such as terracing and the movement of water through aqueducts • communicated throughout the empire using a method of tied strings called Quipus.

11. The Incan empire was conquered by Francisco Pizarro. • Pizarro was able to defeat the Incas because of timing. • There had just been a civil war between Atahualpa and his brother Huascar where Atahualpa had emerged victorious. • Atahualpa invited Pizarro into his palace and Pizarro took him captive for ransom.

12. Pizarro then killed Atahualpa once the ransom had been paid and created his capital city of Lima, Peru. • Pizarro continued to battle against the descendants of Huascar until he was eventually slain by an associate named Almagro.

13. European Conquest • Treaty of Tordesillas–Gave the Spanish control of everything West of the 50 longitude line and Portugal everything to the East (eastern Brazil) • Treaty –An agreement in writing between two or more countries. • Line of Demarcation –In this case, the 50 longitude line.

14. Conquistadors -Spanish for conqueror. The people Spain sent to the Americas. • Mestizo–People of mixed Spanish and Native American descent. • Hacienda –A plantation owned by the Spaniards or the Catholic Church. • Encomiendas–The rights to demand taxes or labor from the Native Americas given to the Spanish settlers.

15. The Colombian ExchangeIn the 1500s, an exchange between the Americas and Europe. Cons Pros • Potatoes, beans, maize, squash, tomatoes, and chocolate were sent to Europe. • Introduced sugar, wheat, Goats, pig, cattle, horses to America • European diseases such as measles, influenza, and smallpox. • Natives had never been exposed to these germs. • Millions died because they were not immune.

16. The Influence of African Slavery • As Europe established colonies in the Americas, the need for labor in the agricultural and mining business increased. • Africans were chosen because they were highly skilled farmers and metalworkers, and they could handle the hot climate of American colonies.

17. Triangular Trade- • trade between Europe, the Americas, and Africa. • Merchants from Europe brought goods to trade for captured Africans in one leg. • Africa received guns and cloth. • Middle Passage- enslaved Africans were transported from Africa to the West Indies on crowded ships and traded for sugar, molasses, and other products. • Agricultural goods were sent to Europe and European colonies.

18. Independence

19. Independence • Revolution –A political movement where the people overthrow the government and set up another. • Criollo–Of Spanish parents but born in Latin America • Caudillo –Latin American leaders trained by Bolivar…most were strict ruling military officers. • Mullato-A person of mixed white and Black ancestry. • Mestizo–Mix of European and Native American ancestry

20. Central America • Chapter 8 page 205 • Toussaint L’Ouverture –A former slave who led the revolution in Saint-Dominique beginning in 1791…in 1804 this island became Haiti. This was the beginning to the freedom of Latin America. By 1825 most of the Latin American region was independent from Europe. • The Criollo’s were educated born Latin Americans who wanted power but were not allowed because they were not Spanish. They wanted to be free!

21. Mexico • Chapter 7 page 176 • In 1810 Miguel Hidalgo a priest from Dolores, Mexico began the revolution in Mexico. • It became the “Cry of Dolores” when he rang the church bell to go against the Spaniards. • He rallied the Mestizos and Criollos. • By 1811 Hidalgo was executed and it ended…temporarily. • Finally, Austin de Iturbide a high ranking Criollo officer in the Spanish army began the revolution and won in 1821.

22. South America • Chapter 9 Page 232 • Two men were responsible for freeing South America from the Spanish. • Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin. • These two men worked their ways around South America fighting the Spanish for independence. • Bolivar was considered one of the greatest leaders of Columbia and South America. • San Martin was from Argentina. The Spanish were defeated in 1821.

23. Brazil’s the Exception • had a different road to freedom • In the 1800’s French invades Spain and Portugal. • Portugal’s royal family flees to Brazil for safety. • The kings son Dom Pedro was left behind to rule the “colony” and in 1822 he declared Brazil independent.

24. What now? • South America is now free….what next? • Bolivar wanted to turn South America into the “United States of South America” but natural barriers made that impossible. • Eventually, he retired and the Caudillos took over the government of South America.