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A Brief History of Latin America Ancient Civs., Europeans, and Independence

A Brief History of Latin America Ancient Civs., Europeans, and Independence. Once Upon a Time (before Christopher Colombus). Three Native American empires in present-day Latin America Maya Inca Aztec. Maya. Dominated Southern Mexico & northern Central America AD 250-800

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A Brief History of Latin America Ancient Civs., Europeans, and Independence

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  1. A Brief History of Latin AmericaAncient Civs., Europeans, and Independence

  2. Once Upon a Time (before Christopher Colombus) • Three Native American empires in present-day Latin America • Maya • Inca • Aztec

  3. Maya • Dominated Southern Mexico & northern Central America • AD 250-800 • City of Tikal: present-day Guatemala • Greatest Mayan city • Priests and nobles ruled • Skilled in mathematics • Calendars (end of the world, 2012??????) • Predicted solar eclipses using astronomical obs. • Glyphs: picture writings carved in stone to honor deities & record their history • POLYTHEISTIC society: Belief in multiple gods

  4. So, What Happened? • Abandoned cities for unknown reasons • Ideas of collapse: drought, warfare led to sharp decline in pop. • Spanish took over in 1500s • Now: archeologists are studying this area • Uncovered ruins of roughly 40 cities • Glyphs, however, remain largely untranslated  • Temple ruins = popular tourist attractions • Today: descendants live in S. Mexico, n. Central America, practice subsistence farming • Subsistence farming: producing just enough food for a family or village to survive (not for profit)

  5. Chichen Itza: Maya temple

  6. Aztec • Central Mexico, 1300s • Capital: Tenochtitlan (present day Mexico City) • Aztec farmers grew crops on chinampas, or floating islands made from large rafts covered with mud from the lake bottom • Structured class system • Headed by emperor & military officials • Priests: performed rituals to win deities’ favor & ensure good harvests • Majority at the bottom: farmers, laborers, and soldiers • Maize (eventually corn), tomato, xocoatl (chocolate) • Defeated by Hernan Cortes (1521), beginning of Spanish Mexico

  7. The Aztec performed sacrifices to the Sun God, Huitzilopochtli,each day. The “sacrificed” were mainly prisoners

  8. Inca • Also around 1440s Andes Mountains (South America) • Ecuador to central Chile • Capital: Cuzco (Peru) • Ruled through central government headed by an emperor • Built massive temples, fortresses, system of roads, irrigation systems • All roads went through the capital city of Cuzco! • Domesticated the alpaca & llama, used for wool • No written language, used oral storytelling • System of record-keeping: quipu, or a series of knotted cords of different colors & lengths; each knot represented a different item or number • Conquered by Francisco Pizarro (1535)

  9. Original Incan road Machu Picchu

  10. Invasion of the Europeans! • Spanish & Portuguese began colonizing after Christopher Colombus’ discovery of the “New World” • God—spread Christianity throughout new areas • Glory—competition among European countries • Gold—riches!! • European colonies eventually arose • Hernan Cortes (1521): Aztecs • Francisco Pizarro (1535): Inca • Brought with them diseases; as this killed Natives, Africans were transported to the area to cover labor shortage Both men were CONQUISTADORS: conquerors

  11. Characteristics of European Colonies • Spanish: highly-structured political systems under royally appointed officials (also known as a viceroy) • Spanish + Portuguese colonies = Roman Catholic Church • conversion of natives to Catholicism • Hospitals & schools set up by missionaries • Ecomomies • Natural resources (Spanish: gold & silver mining; Portuguese: metals made into Brazilwood) • Cities & towns built, served as trade centers & government seats • Native Americans used to work in plantations & ranches. Eventually replaced by African slaves

  12. Colombian Exchange

  13. Independence Movements • Began in the late 1700s because resentment against European rule was building • Wealthy European colonists wanted self-rule, lower-class wanted more rights • Native Americans & African slaves wanted freedom • Revolutions in the US (American Revolution! Yay America!) and France (with Napoleon) inspired them • Napoleon defeating Spain Spain weaker  VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!!

  14. Latin American Revolutions

  15. Sources of Discontent- Late 1700s • Viceroys- Spanish governors • Peninsulares- Spaniards living in LA • Creoles- straight Euro. descent • Mestizos- Native + Euro. • Mulattoes- Afn. + Euro. • Zambos- Native + Afn. • Amerindians- Natives ALL distrusted one another

  16. Haiti’s Struggle • French-ruled • Sugar & coffee plantations = 1/2 million slaves lots of $ for France • 25,000 free (but not equal) mulattoes

  17. Haiti’s Struggle • Revolted in 1791 • Led by Toussaint L’Ouverture • Former slave, but educated • 1804: Complete independence • Haiti became the FIRST country to abolish slavery in the western hemisphere

  18. Mexico’s Fight • Father Hidalgo: El Grito de Dolores • 1810: cry for independence • encouraged lower class (mestizos) to fight for indep. and more rights • Hidalgo was executed Fr. Jose Morelos led fight (later executed) • Creoles (pure Span. descent) against rebels at 1st • 1820: new govn’t in Spain  scared Creoles  fought with rebels  won in 1821 • Set up monarchy 1st, later a republic long road to stability…

  19. Simón Bolívar • 1810: Bolivar led revolt in Venezuela  form republic • Went on to Ecuador, Peru, & Bolivia republics • Joined Jose de San Martin • Leader in Argentina & Chile • Wars ended in 1824 • Tried to unite lands into Gran Colombia  • Biggest problem: Power struggles caused huge civil wars turn to military

  20. Panama Canal • Isthmus perfect place to connect oceans • Ferdinand de Lesseps (Suez Canal) tried but failed • Disease, geography, $ • Bunau-Varilla asked US pres TR (1901) to aid building

  21. Panama Canal • Panama was part of Colombia at time • Col. refused to give up land • Panamanians revolted, US helped them • Panama gained independence (1903) • Canal began in 1904, until 1914 • US owned until 1999

  22. Dictatorships: Pattern • As the countries fought for indep., power went to new people • European & indigenous hist. stressed rank & privilege • So ppl of power and strength were natural fit • Enter the era of CAUDILLOS (dictators)

  23. Dictatorships • People are unhappy REVOLT • Option A: the military puts out revolt and resumes power to keep order • Option B: rebels win & put in someone military/wealthy don’t like  military coup

  24. Dictatorships • Chile • Military coup over threw dem. socialist govn’t in 1973 • Led by Augusto Pinochet • Ruled harshly, human rights violations • Over 100,000 either killed, imprisoned, or tortured • Ruled until 1990! (remained in charge of army) • Died in 2006 while awaiting trial

  25. Cuba Fidel Raul • Like others, ppl were discontent with govn’t • Cuba- gap b/w rich and poor • Revolution led by Fidel Castro set up Communist State with military dictator (1959) • Ruled until 06-08 left Raul (brother) in power

  26. Mexico: Mid-90s gave rise to Zapatista rebels Fight for indigenous rights spreads 2000 marked PAN take over (Vicente Fox) Felipe Calderon-current Venezuela: Coups lasted into 90s, one even by current leftist Pres. Chavez Electorate voted him in b/c he was a strong ruler in a time a of crisis 2012: re-elected again! Change

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