Native American tribes existed in Latin America before the arrival of the Europeans. The Native Americans came from Asia across the Bering Strait (possibly a land bridge at one time) around 15000 BCE

3 civilizations were very important.

Maya

Aztec

Inca

Yucatan and Central America. Capital – Tikal. Agriculture, trade, math, glyphs, calendars, solar eclipse. Abandoned the cities. 6 Million Maya live in Guatemala and Mexico.

Mexico. Capital – Tenochtitlan. Class system, grew food on floating islands called chinampas, calendars, bridges. Conquered by Cortes.

Peru. Capital – Cuzco. Terrace farming with irrigation, roads, and temples. Used quipu (knotted cords of various lengths and colors) to keep financial records. Pizarro conquered.

Cacao - Chocolate

• The Maya and Aztec mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.

Ancient Maya drawing of a god being presented chocolate drink.

AGE OF EXPLORATION:

Period from the 1400’s to the early 1600’s. European ships traveled around the world in search of new trade routes. Advances in cartography, navigation, and ship building made it possible for Europeans to travel out of the calm Mediterranean across the more turbulent Atlantic.

1492 – Christopher Columbus sails for Spain in search of a western route to the spice islands. He lands in the Bahamas which he names San Salvador. First European to come in contact with chocolate, but thought it was a useless bean.

Columbus’ voyages started the COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE – the widespread exchange of agricultural goods, livestock, slave labor, communicable diseases, and ideas between Europe (Old World) and the Americas (New World).

Amerigo Vespucci

• Chief navigator for Spain

• America named for him

• Claimed Americas were the 4th

continent – Asia, Africa, Europe

and now Americas

Months after Columbus returns to Europe the Roman Catholic countries of Spain and Portugal went to Pope Alexander VI on a way to divide the new land. He set the line at the 38º W longitude line. (all the way to the other side of the earth in the Pacific Ocean) – Line of Demarcation. Portugal and Spain met again in 1494 and signed the TREATY OF TORDESILLAS that divided the lands of the New World at the 46º 37’ W. All land to the west belongs to Spain – all the land to the east belongs to Portugal. This is why Portugal only has Brazil in the area.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa discovers Pacific in 1513

• First European to reach the Pacific from the New World.

• Crossed the isthmus of Panama.

1519 - Hernando Cortes defeated the Aztecs in Mexico and established the area for Spain. He is the first European to take cacao to Europe

1519 – Ferdinand Magellan begins circumnavigation of the world. He is killed in the Philippines, but 18 of his sailors do return to Spain. Sir Francis Drake (England) will be the first captain to complete the trip in 1577.

1531 – Francisco Pizarro defeated the Incas

Conquistadors• Spanish word for conqueror – soldiers,

explorers, and adventurers.

• Cacao valued by rich

people in Europe –

seeds regularly sent

back fom New

World

encomiendas• Spanish labor system during

colonization. • the crown granted a person a specified

number of natives for whom they were to take responsibility.

• The receiver of the grant was to protect the natives and teach them Spanish and how to be Roman Catholic

• They could exact tribute from the natives in the form of labor, gold or other products, such as in corn, wheat or chickens. Basically slave labor.

Before the French and British even began to settle North America – The Spanish had set up Spanish society in Latin America.

Hispanoles / Peninsulares – Spaniards born in Europe

Creoles – Spaniards born in the New World

Mestizos – Spanish and Native American mix

Mullotoes – Spanish and African mix

Indios – Native Americans

Africanos – African slaves

Viceroys• A royal official who runs a country, colony,

or province (or state) in the name of and as representative of the Monarch.

• Latin America was split into the Viceroyalties of La Plata, New Spain, and New Granada

Late 1600 – 1700’s – Triangle Trade – sugar, rum, and slaves were the main commodities. Slaves were needed to work on sugar, tobacco, and cacao plantations.

haciendas• Large plantations owned by the wealthy and

worked by indigenous people (almost slaves)

• Conquistadors given large land grants for conquering the area

1776 – The areas of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay unite as the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata.

1800 - Spain returns Louisiana to French

1804 – Haiti becomes the first country in Latin America to gain independence from colonial powers (France)

Cacao - Chocolate

• Industrial Revolution at the end of the 1700s leads to new machinery – cacao press and conching machine make it possible to make solid chocolate

• Latin America becomes one of the main producers of cacao. Workers paid very little.

• Consumers are in the developed world.

1807 – Simon Bolivar begins his revolutionary movement. Eventually, he will help in revolutions in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bolivia. He is known as “El Libertador” – The Liberator. He later serves as president of Greater Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia

Jose de San Martin

• Helped revolutions in southern

South America – Chile, Peru

and Argentina

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla• Sept 16, 1810 he rings the bell of the church

in Dolores, Mexico and proclaims an end to Spanish rule in Mexico and calls for equality for Mexico’s various races and redistribution of land. The Cry of Dolores has great appeal to the poor.

• 9/16 is Mexico’s

Independence day.

Agustin de Iturbide

• General that brought about the end of the Mexican War of Independence

• Named emperor of Mexico• The Army of the three guarantees –

equality, Roman Catholicism, and independence from Spain

• Abdicates, leaves, returns, executed

1810 – Mexico declares independence from Spain.

Chile and Colombia become independent of Spain.

1811 – Paraguay and Venezuela become independent of Spain

Spain abolishes slavery.

Spain sold Florida to the US for $10 million.

Gran Colombia

• President Simon Bolivar

• Fight between federalists and unitarians.

• 1819 - 1831

1816 – Argentina gains independence from Spain.

1821 – Spain loses Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and recognizes Mexico.

1822 – Ecuador becomes independent from Spain and Brazil becomes independent from Portugal

1825 – Bolivia gains independence from Spain

Uruguay gains independence from Brazil

1844 – Dominican Republic gains independence from Haiti.

1836 - The independent Republic of Texas broke away from Mexico. It joins the US as a state in 1845.

1848, The Treaty of Guadalupe – Hidalgo ends the Mexican – American War. US purchases the land that becomes California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and part of Texas for $15 million. This is only half what the US offered before the war (when the treaty was signed - US troops were stationed in Mexico City).

Caudillos – strongmen – dictators ruled many Latin American countries after independence. These men were revolutionaries that planned coup d'états. Governments were very unstable in this region

1853 - Last purchase of the 48 contiguous states – The Gadsden Purchase from Mexico for $10 million (Today’s money – $230 million) Part of the treaty also gave the US the right to build a canal across Tehuantepec, Mexico (US built Panama instead)

1898 –Cuba gains independence from Spain. The US acquired Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam after the US won the Spanish – American War. The war began when the USS Maine was sunk off the coast of Cuba. US claimed Spain sank the ship (probably not). Puerto Rico and Guam are territories – can vote, but no senators nor representatives. Philippines independent. This war showed the need for Panama Canal – Most US ships were in San Francisco when the war began.

1902 – Big Stick Diplomacy

Theodore Roosevelt’s policy that the US can intervene in neighboring politics if the country is unstable.

US policy that uses military to back up negotiations. Also called gunship diplomacy.

1902 – US grants independence to Cuba. US had taken control of the island in 1898 because Spain could not keep the violence under control.

Platt Agreement

• gave US rights to intervene in Cuba

• Gave US rights to Guantanamo Bay Naval Bay

• Cuban sugar had preference in US

1902 - US buys the Panama Canal Zone from France. The US works to finish the project. Colombia is not happy with US intervention in the area.

US wanted to control the Panama Canal area, but Colombia would not agree to the US terms. The US backed the rebels against Colombia. In 1903, Panama declared independence from Colombia. Panama then grants the US permission to complete the canal and control it until 1999. Opens in 1914

1906 – widespread revolution broke out in Cuba. President Roosevelt decided the US must intervene to bring stability. “Good Neighbor Policy” US troops remained in Cuba for 28 months.

Poverty Gap

• 30% of people lack land, adequate food, shelter, and basic education. The elite have affluence and wealth.

• In some countries up to 85% of the land and wealth belongs to only 1% of the citizens.– Free enterprise – everyone has the ability to make a

living.– Democracy – outlet for protest and opposition– Education – the best way to improve the lives of

citizens.

1910 – Mexican Revolution.

Revolutionaries such as Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata fought against the Presidential forces of Porfirio Diaz. The revolutionaries wanted reforms (especially land reform). 90% of the wealth was controlled by 1% of the people.

Juntascaudillos backed up by military

• Somoza dynasty in Nicaragua begins in 1936• CIA installs a military junta in Guatemala• Francois Duvalier (Papa Doc) is elected in Haiti. It soon

develops into a nightmare• Che Guevara launches his Marxist revolution in Bolivia in

1966• Noriega takes power in Panama in 1983. President George

H. W. Bush sent 24,000 troops into Panama in 1989.• US intervenes in Guatemala 1954, Chile 1973, and

Nicaragua 1984

1946 – General Juan Peron was elected to his first presidency of Argentina. He and his wife Eva “Evita” headed the Peron Party that was a third party between communism and capitalism. He supported labor unions and government control, but he was not popular with the military. Perons entertained many celebrities at presidential palace in Argentina.

1949 – 1989 Cold War – power struggle between the communist world, led by the USSR, and the non-communist world led by the US. There were no actual battles in this “war”, but Vietnam, Korea, and Cuba could be considered part of the Cold War.

1959 – Fidel Castro overthrows the government of Fulgencio Batista in Cuba. He begins collectivism and a move to communism. Unable to get support from the US he turns to USSR.

1962 – Castro allows USSR to base nuclear weapons in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy orders a blockade of Cuba. This situation came very close to starting World War III.

Jamaica becomes independent of Britain.

1966 – Guyana becomes independent of UK

1973 – Bahamas become independent of UK

1975 – Suriname becomes independent of the Netherlands

1981 – Belize becomes independent of the UK

1976 - 1983 – Argentina’s “Dirty War” state sponsored crack down on left wing revolutionaries and anyone else considered a threat (students, journalists, trade union members, and former supporters of Peron). Government admits 9,000 died, but human rights groups claim closer to 30,000. Known as the “Disappeared”

Augusto Pinochet

• Ruled Chile 1973 – 1990• Took control from democratically elected

Salvador Allende (Allende was a communist and the US did not like him).

• Pinochet Dissolved congress• Backed by US and others he started harshly

cracking down on communists and other left-wing groups - during his rule, more than 3,200 people were executed or disappeared, and scores of thousands more were detained and tortured or exiled.

Iran-Contra• 1986 - US funneled weapons to Iran (there

was an embargo) in return for money that was secretly supplied to the rebels (Contras) in Nicaragua (Reagan’s government. prohibited by Congress from supplying Contras)

1994 – NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement. Allows goods and services to cross borders without paying tariffs. Includes Canada, US, and Mexico.

Latin American countries rely on cash crops – need more skilled labor, money, and natural resources.

Urbanization is occurring in Latin America and US & Canada. People are moving to urban areas to find jobs.

Many Latin American industries are owned by foreign companies.

Deforestation of the rainforest is of international concern. Some US companies have begun buying parcels of land for reforestation and conservation projects.

Debt for Nature swap

• Many Latin American nations are burdened by tremendous international debt. They borrowed money to improve living conditions.

• Environmental agencies and organizations are paying of some of the debts in return the governments must set aside rainforest land.

Hugo Chavez

• Move to the left – toward communism. As well as Cuba – Venezuela (Chavez), Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Paraguay have moved left and are disengaging ties with the US.

• Chavez nationalized the petroleum industry.• Media is censored• He would like a unitedLatin America with him as leader.• Anti-US

Raul Castro

• After nearly 50 years as dictator – Fidel handed over command to his brother Raul in 2008.

• Possible move to the center and better relations with the US

Felipe Calderon• 2006 became president of Mexico after a

contested race.• Rejects the idea of building a barrier between the

US and Mexico• Strong supporter of NAFTA• 4 – 6 million illegal aliens in US that came

through Mexico. Most exploited by smugglers along the way.

• widespread discrimination of Amerindians.

Mexican Drug War

Mexican Drug War - Drug cartels control some areas along the border of US & Mexico. Over 28,000 killed on both sides of conflict since 2006 – most violent place on earth.