WARRIORS-CONQUISTADORS-FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Latin America

Table of Contents

Aztecs Cortes Montezuma

Incas Pizarro Atahualpa

Columbian Exchange

Slavery

Language and Religion

Freedom Fighters L’Ouverture Bolivar Hidalgo

Revolution Cuban Revolution Zapatistas

Aztec Review

Most powerful in central and southern Mexico at the time of European exploration.

Capital-Tenochtitlan. Modern day Mexico City.

Good farmers, paid large taxes, calendars, mathematics

Conquered by the Spanish and Cortes in 1521.

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BrainPop-Click here to learn about the Aztecs and Montezuma

Hernan Cortes—Conquistador

•Born in 1485 in Spain

•At 19, he sailed to the Americas to live and learn how colonies were run. He became mayor of a Cuban town.

•In 1518, he was told to go to Mexico to defeat the Aztecs. Upon getting there, other native groups joined them.

•He was welcomed by the Aztec Leader, Montezuma II, so Aztec defeat started easier than they had planned.

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BrainPop—Conquistadors—Click here to learn about Cortes and Pizarro

Montezuma II—Aztec Ruler

Aztec ruler from 1500 to 1520.

Expanded the empire—forced conquered tribes to pay the empire high taxes and give their people for sacrifices.

He thought Cortez was a god-like being and welcomed him with gifts and gold.

Cortez took him hostage and ruled his empire.

In 1520, the Spanish and Aztecs fought and Montezuma was killed. Back to

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Inca Review

Began in the early 1400’s.

Stretched over 2000 miles in western South America.

Known for wealth, textiles, roads, farming, mathematics and accounting.

Spanish wiped out much of the culture, but the language, farming techniques, and textile making remain a part of the local culture.

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BrainPop-Click for the Incas

Francisco Pizarro

Born in Spain in 1475. Pig farmer as a boy. In 1502 went to

Hispanola and learned about exploring and conquering.

In 1523, he let a voyage to the west coast of South America, just south of Panama. Back to

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Francisco Pizarro

He was told by Indian traders that there was a very rich country to the south.

In 1531, he became viceroy of the lands and took 3 ships, 200 men, and 3 dozen horses to conquer the Inca.

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Atahualpa—The Last Sapa IncaFought with his brother about who would control the empire.

Thought to be a descendant of the sun god.

Atahualpa was tricked by the Spanish under Pizarro in 1532, and this event made for the last of the Inca empire.

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The Last Encounter with the Inca A meeting was arranged between Pizarro

and Atahualpa. When Atahualpa approached, the

Spanish attacked. Pizarro captured Atahualpa and

demanded ransom. He was executed in 1533 by Pizarro. This

was the end of the empire.Back to ToC

Spanish Settlements

Pizarro became wealthy and powerful. He founded Lima, Peru and built a palace. Other Spanish were jealous of his wealth.

In 1541, Pizarro was killed in an attack on his palace.

For the next 300 years, the Spanish continued to rule the land.

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The Columbian Exchange

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The Columbian Exchange

What is it? The exchange of animals, plants, people, and

diseases from the Old World to the New World. How did it affect Latin America?

The goods brought from Europe changed farming—plantations and slave labor were started.

The indigenous population was defeated because of disease.

Horses allowed further and faster travel and ideas and goods spread.

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Slavery in Latin America

Because of the Columbian Exchange, Europeans in America needed cheap labor. Labor for mining the metals. Labor for farming the plantations.

Why weren’t the native people the slaves? The natives were dying from disease,

violence with the Europeans, harsh conditions.

Many retreated to the mountains and jungles.

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Slavery in Latin America

Brought from Africa by ship. Most brought to the tropical areas of

Latin America where plantations were large.

Conditions were very similar to the conditions that slaves in North America endured.

For 300 years slavery grew. As different countries gained freedom in

the 1800’s, slavery ended.Back to ToC

Descendants of Slaves

Many of the descendants of African slaves are part of the culture today.

A person with both African and European background. People with only African ancestors and

people with African and European ancestors make up a large part of the population in the tropics. Cuba-60%, Brazil-50%

Mestizos-A person with mixed Spanish and Native American background.

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Influence on Language and Religion As the Spanish and Portuguese

conquered Latin America, they spread their language and religion.

Spanish Most of Central America Most of South America Caribbean Islands

Portuguese Brazil-because it is so large, almost as

many people in Latin America speak Portuguese as Spanish. Back to

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Influence on Language and Religion Important to note that these were the

official languages for government, business and power. However, many indigenous people still speak their native languages.

Others blended their native languages with European languages. For example, Haitians speak Haitian Creole-a blend of French and native African languages.

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Influence on Language and Religion When the conquistadors and

settlers came to Latin America, they sent priests, friars, and monks to set up missions.

Some native groups were forced to say they were Christian, others mixed Christianity and their traditional beliefs.

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A Desire for Freedom

The governments of Spain and Portugal ruled most of Latin America for nearly 300 years. At times the people being ruled by the Europeans got restless. The American Revolution in 1776 gave some in Latin American the idea that they too could be free. In 1789, the French Revolution showed that the kings of Europe could be beaten. These events encouraged Latin Americans in the belief that they might be able to overcome their European rulers.

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Toussaint L’Ouverture

Born a slave in the mid-1700’s.

Father had been a free African who was captured and sold into slavery.

In 1789 the French Revolution occurred and the new French government granted freedom to slaves and in Haiti, they were mad and took back the freedom.

Toussaint was furious and led a slave army to defeat the French troops.

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1793-He led his men against British and Spanish troops.

He became in charge of Saint Domingue (Haiti) even though it was a French colony.

1802-Napolean, the French emperor, sent troops to regain control. Toussaint was captured and sent to France where he died.

By 1804, Haiti gained independence.

Toussaint L’Ouverture

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Simon Bolivar (“The Liberator”) History of Bolivar Gained Independence for:

Bolivia Colombia Ecuador Panama Peru Venezuela

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Miguel Hidalgo

Known as the father of Mexican independence.

Born in 1753. Had a good

education. Worked among

the peasants

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Miguel Hidalgo

In 1808 France invaded Spain and the king was removed. 3 options: New French government Old Spanish government New Independent government

In 1810, the French government turned on him, and he started the independence movement.

He was captured and killed in 1811, and in 1821, Mexico gained independence.

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