A History of

1. A History of Latin America

2. Where is Latin America • Latin America consists of Mexico on down The Incas controlled a large part of S. America The Aztecs controlled most of modern day Mexico.

3. Facts about Latin America • Mexico City is the Largest city in the world • It consists of nearly 30 million people 3x larger than Rome • Many people still think of Latin America in terms of stereotypes • Sombrero • Whiskey • Lazy • poor A stereotype is a conventional, formulaic, and usually simplified view of something.

4. Some truths on Latin America • Its history is marred by political/electoral corruption • There is Laziness in government with the idea of Manana. • Much of Texas, California, New Mexico, and Arizona get their heritage from L.A.

5. Differences between Latin America and North America • Puritans and Pilgrims goal was to stay in N. America • In L.A. the objective was to obtain money and go back. No intent on settling new world.

6. More Differences • Native Populations were different • Many more Indians in Latin America • In L.A. Spanish needed natives left alive for labor so they protected the Indians. Where as in N. America the English killed Indians.

7. Native America’s • How did people originally get to the New World. • It is thought that people likely traveled to the America’s by way of the Bering Strait. • Population was believed to be from 6-36 Million People at its peak in the 16th century.

8. Three Major Indigenous Groups • Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. • The Aztec and Mayan empires controlled most of modern day Mexico. • The Incas were the largest of the three and controlled most of S. America. • The Incas had one main god known as “Sappa Inca” (the great Inca).

9. Government • Mayas: Govt. Bureaucracy of Nobles • Aztecs: Emperor chosen by nobles + priests. • Incas: Ruled by god-king with absolute power. • All three groups were polytheistic but the Incas believed “Sappa Inca” was best.

10. Farming • All three groups relied heavily on farming for maintaining their people. • Mayas used irrigation systems • Aztecs relied on floating gardens • Incas used step terraces.

11. Achievements • Mayas: writing method of contact, pure writing (symbols+script, numbers system, concept of zero, and a solar calender). • Aztecs: Herb medicine, performed brain surgury, treat diseases. • Incas: Road ways (some still exist and are used).

12. Cause of Decline • Maya: Warfare (civil war) • Aztecs and Incas: Spanish invaders. The indigenous people were very separated (not unified). Spanish Conquistadors used this to their advantage.

13. Incas: South America • The Andes Mountains, Peru, Equador, Bolivia. Extended from todays Chile to Columbia. • Cuzco the capital located 10,000 ft about sea level. • Incas: Impressive adaptations- highest level of altitude civilizations.

14. More about the Incas • First to freeze dry foods (namely potatos). • Kept herds of llamas. • Incas were known as the Golden empire.

15. AZTEC

16. Aztec Culture • The Mexica (mesh-ica) what they called self capital: Tenochtitlan. • Capital (Tenochtitlan) was 500,000 people strong. • When the Europeans saw this city they were amazed by how clean it was.

17. Aztec Culture • Humor: The Aztecs used humor in song, theatre, all you can imagine. • Aztec empire sent out merchants and spy’s to learn about people, trade, and weapons.

18. Aztec Culture • Aztec’s: began as wondering warriors who were very uncouth. • Aztec people had many allies and many enemies. Both groups would play major roles in their downfall. • City was able to grow with help of floating gardens. Trees anchored floating land. • In 1519 80,000 people came to visit their market place.

19. Aztec Culture • Marketplace: carried chocolate, food, gold, gems, and emeralds from Columbia. • Schools were divided up by class. It was divided up by nobles who were taught religion and commoners who were taught learned trades such as carpentry.

20. Life for Children • Aztec parents were very strict. • Beat children with sticks. Or they might burn their eyes with peppers.

21. Marriage • At the age of 13 or 14 children were married off. • A boy and a girl would be tied together as an old man would teach them for 3 days. • If they still liked each other after the 3 days they would get married. • If a man or woman committed adultery they would get stoned to death by the spouses family.

22. Aztec Food • Menu: • Appetizers-guacamole, popcorn. • First course- fish with chilies. • Second Course-yams, roast or turkey. • Dessert-fruit

23. Aztec Culture • Aztecs felt that the Europeans smelled bad. This caused them to smell flowers to help avoid smelling the stinky Europeans. • Aztec people used steam baths to stay clean.

24. Aztec way of war • Aztec goal was to capture their enemy • European goal was to kill enemy • This meant that war typically wasn’t bloody • A peasant could become a nobleman through war.

25. Aztec Neighbors • A new city developed near Tenochtitlan- the Aztecs could have destroyed them but they needed a neighboring city for their yearly sacrifices. This new city (tortillas) helped become the death of the Aztecs.

26. Major Aztec Emperors • Montzuma-1440-1469 • Aztec empire greatly expanded • Built gardens • Brought in animals • Human sacrifice greatly increased

27. Last Emperor • Moctezuma- 9th emperor 1502-1520 • Trained since birth to be emperor • Culture grew • City grew • Believed strong in the old legends • Always remembered for his surrender to Spanish Cortez with Moctezuma

28. Fall of the Aztec Empire

29. An Important shipwreck • A shipwreck in Valdivia in 1511 left 14 men stranded. • Out of this a priest named Aguilar learns an Indian language, Mayan.

30. 3 Expeditions • First in 1517 a man named Hernando de Cordoba leads a slavery expedition into the new world territory. -Yukatan “we don’t understand your words” • This first group stole gold from the temple in new world. Men who survived returned and told others, “don’t go there”!

31. 3 Expeditions • 2nd a group led by Juan de Grijalvo this group was killed off by natives and later they were found with arrow wounds. • Juan de Grijalvo did discover that they weren’t on an island but that in fact they had discovered a new continent. • They were at Cozumel • Grijalvo meets Moctezuma (emperor of Aztec People)

32. 3 Expeditions • Hernan Cortes (rich and bored) 1519 • Egotistical, but he has good charisma. • In order to get permission to go to new world he accepts a chance to go for a trading expedition. • Right before he leaves he sells all of his belongings (everything). • As he leaves the pier he flies a flag that says “you shall conquer”! By leaving on these terms Cortes makes an enemy, Diego who is the man in charge of the expeditions.

33. Cortes stops at Cozumel • While at Cozumel Cortes and his crew of 500 people (possibly 700) find a priest who was a part of the shipwreck over 9 years ago. • The priest serves Cortes on this voyage as an interpreter. • Who is the interpreter?

34. Cortes and the Natives • Everywhere Cortes goes he causes problems. One time he loses a tooth in battle. • Because he lost a tooth he was particularly brutal to the people and he decides to keep some of them as slaves • The battle is at a place called Tabasco. He receives 12 male slaves and one female.

35. Who’s the Girl? • The woman he receives is special to him. He falls in love rather quickly with the woman. • Her name is Dona Marina. • Marina knows two languages: Mayan and Aztec.

36. Dona Marina • The Aguilar hates her. • He can see himself being fazed out of Cortes’ life. • Within 6 months she learns Spanish and Cortes no longer needs Aguilar. • Marina has no love for the Aztecs as she was originally Aztec but they sold her to the Mayan’s in slavery.

37. Cortes with Marina • Cortes’ first experience dealing with Aztecs goes well for him. • Marina lies to Aztecs and helps Cortes get tons of Aztec gold as a peace offering. • Cortes sends the gold back to Spain to gain favor from the king.

38. King and Cortes • The king became very intrigued in Cortes. • Cortes’ dad had fought for the king’s dad in previous wars. • Diego tries to tell king he left with bad intentions. King tells Diego, “I’ll take care of him”. • The king melts down the treasure as a way to show his displeasure.

39. King and Cortes • Cortes’ shipmates learn of the kings feelings. They turn on Cortes. • Cortes finds out about the plot (probably by Marina) and he has them hanged.

40. Cortes and Indians • He makes many allies. What does that mean? • Cortes gets in a long battle at Veracruz and loses many men. • Marina tells Cortes not to bury his dead during the day.

41. Fear of Horses • The Aztecs were frightened by Cortes’ army- they had never seen horses. Thought they were seeing 2 headed 6 legged creatures.

42. Aztec Response • Moctezuma hears of Cortes’ coming and he prays to his gods and has 1000 people sacrificed. • The Tortillas (who were once the Aztec’s greatest allies) gave aide to Cortes and his men • This move made the Aztecs very angry.

43. Cortes and Aztecs • TheTortilla king helped Cortes for the rest of his days in New world. Supplied his men with food etc…

44. Moctezuma Plots Again • Aztec Emperor sends a note to the Tortilla and warns them to kill Cortes or the Aztec army will kill all of the tortilla people. • The Tortilla king agrees to do what the Aztec want because they are afraid • Old women of the city (Cholula) tell Marina about the plot to destroy Cortes and his men. They were afraid for her life. • Marina tells Cortes at dinner about the plot.

45. Cortes Responds • Cortes and his men pretend to be drunk and when the people think they can attack they get destroyed by Cortes and his fake drunk men. • In all Cortes killed every man, women and child in the city. 22,000 total. • Cortes sends the head of the king of Cholula To Moctezuma.

46. Moctezuma and Cortes • Moctezuma responds-”we’ll see you soon” • Aztecs offer 400 barrels of gold to Cortes. • He declines their offer because he is amazed with how much there is. Why? • Demands to meet Moctezuma

47. Spanish at Tenochtitlan • Europeans are amazed at what they see. • Later one wrote it was the most memorable day of his life. • Cortes tells his men to show no amazement. • Moctezuma and Cortes Meet.

48. Moctezuma and Cortes • Face to Face with Moctezuma Cortes gets labeled the GOD. • He is asked to stay and live with Aztecs.

49. Cortes, “a wanted man” • Cortes and his men are happily living in Tenochtitlan,15 ships arrive from Cuba to arrest Cortes. • Cortes takes 300 men with him to meet the new fleets. He brings gold with him. • Why?

50. Cortes a Genius or an idiot? • Cortes offers all of the gold he had with him to the men. This effort wins their hearts. • The man Cortes left behind was messing everything up. His name was Pedro de Alvarado. • Alvarado launches a slaughter during an Aztec festival. This is known as “the sad night” June 30th 1520.