20 th Century Latin America

1. 20th Century Latin America

2. The Panama Canal • People who wanted to travel around North and South America had to travel across the treacherous land or go all the way around South America • France decided to create a canal across the isthmus of Panama since it was only 40 miles wide • At the time, Panama was part of Columbia

3. The Panama Canal • U.S. tried to buy the land from Colombia but they refused • U. S. urged the people of Panama to revolt and they did • In 1903, Panama became its own country and leased the land to the U. S. • The canal opened in 1914 and became one of the most important transportation routes in the world

4. The Spanish-American War • Even after Central America broke free of Spanish rule, Cuba and Puerto Rico were still controlled by Spain • The islanders rebelled many times but were not able to gain independence • 1898 – the U.S. declared war on Spain • Wanted to help the people of these countries but also protect the sugar cane plantations they owned on the islands

5. The Spanish-American War • War lasted less than a year • The U.S. won – Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory and Cuba became an independent country • The U.S. military set up bases there and kept tight control

6. Cuba • From 1899-1902, the U.S. army stayed in Cuba to keep peace and help set up a new government • Most Cubans resented this but many new roads, bridges, and public schools were built • Cuba became independent but the U.S. maintained a huge naval base at Guantanamo Bay and insisted it had the right to send soldiers any time it wished

7. Cuba • Cuba had a series of leaders – some elected and some took power by force • Most were dictators • They tried to stay friendly with the U.S. and welcomed U.S. businesses and tourists • Havana offered luxury hotels and casinos but most residents remained poor

8. Cuba • Fidel Castro led a revolution to overthrow Cuba’s current leader, Fulgencio Batista, in 1959 • He was greeted joyfully by the people of Havana and promised there would be no more dictators • Castro took power during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union

9. Cuba • Castro needed an ally and the Soviet Union wanted to be that ally • Castro began to adopt Communist policies for Cuba’s economy • He took over sugar cane plantations, U.S. banks, oil refineries, and other businesses on the island • The U.S. cut off all trade with Cuba and started an embargo

10. Guerrilla warfare • In Peru in the early 1980s, Communist groups rose up because they were unhappy with the democratic government – Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) and Zapatistas • Some of these groups fought using guerrila warfare – small nontraditional military groups leading small attacks • Many citizens died in the crossfire and it became a kind of civil war

11. Nationalism • Nationalism refers to a people's sense of common belonging and loyalty to a nation. • It may develop as people join together to form a unified government • he effects of nationalism can be both good and bad. Nationalism gives people a sense of belonging and pride • But nationalism also produces rivalry and tension between nations

12. Nationalism • Nationalism also can be improperly used for the political gain of a specific person or party • Example: Juan and Eva Peron(Argentina)