Early Latin America

Spaniards and Portuguese: From Reconquest to Conquest  Geographic location of Iberian peninsula meant conflict and thus a strong military tradition  Mid-15 th century Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile unified kingdoms and got rid of religious and ethnic diversity in their kingdoms  1492 Fall of Granada and economic support to Columbus

Iberian Society and Tradition  Traditionally, Spanish and Portuguese lived in cities- they transported this to the American Indian countryside  Use of African slaves already common on Iberian peninsula-- merchants use of slaves  Political centralization of Portugal and Castile with well-trained bureaucracy similar to China  Heavy influence of religion and church

The Chronology of Conquest  conquest- administration and economy set up  – consolidation  18 th century- reform and reorganization that intensified the colonial relationship

The Caribbean Crucible  Conquest of Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama  Arrival of Spanish women and African slaves represented a shift from an area of conquest to one of settlement  Agricultural Taino people provided enough surplus labor so began the encomienda system-  But native population quickly decimated and for 200 years a backwater until sugar and slaves allowed it to surge again  Disease and conquest- Bartolome de Las Casas – struggle for justice

The Paths of Conquest  Conquests usually done by an individual or small group with government support  Conquest directed at Mexico and South America  Hernan Cortes -conquest of the Aztec in Tenochtitlan in 1521 (defeat of Montezuma II)- won partly because of help from Aztec enemies and also from disease, starvation, and battle  New Spain  Franciso Pizarro and the Inca Cuzco fell. By 1540 most of Peru under Spanish control although active resistance continued  Spanish expeditions spread out then to North America and South America: Francisco Vazquez de Coronado in N. America and Pedro de Valdivia in S.America  By 1570 there were 192 Spanish cities

The Conquerors  Crown received 1/5 of treasure  Conquerors came from all walks of life and were hoping to better themselves and serve God  Technological edge (horses, firearms, steel weapons) gave them great advantage

Conquest and Morality  Justification of Spanish rule and destruction by Juan Gines de Sepulveda versus Las Casas  Huge population declines due to epidemics and mistreatment disrupted American societies

Exploitation of the Indians  No interference with aspects that served colonial goals or conflict with Spanish authority or religion. Indian nobility in Mexico and Peru, for example, remained middlemen between the tax and labor demands.  By mid-16 th century enslavement of Indians forbidden  Colonial governments increasingly extracted labor and taxes from native peoples

Colonial Economies and Governments  Spanish America an agrarian society- 80% of the people worked on land  Mining was the essential activity and the basis of Spain’s rule in West Indies- silver formed the basis of Spain’s wealth in America

The Silver Heart of Empire  major silver discoveries and mining towns developed. Potosi in Peru and Zacatecas in Mexico  Labor first provided by slaves and encomienda workers and then replaced by labor draft  Used European mining techniques  1/5 profit went to crown  Mining stimulated other parts of the economy

Haciendas and Villages  Family-owned rural estates developed (haciendas)  Labor force came from Native Americans and mestizos  Haciendas became basis of wealth for local aristocracy

Industry and Commerce  Small textile workshops- produced cloth and colonies no longer depended on Europe for basic goods  Spain tightly controlled the silver trade- Board of Trade in Seville. Worked with merchant guild- consulado  Galleons- large heavily armed ships- carried the silver belonging to the crown  Problems- inflation and cost of keeping up the colonies

Ruling an Empire: State and Church  Sovereignty of colonies rested on papal grant- Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), which awarded lands to the east to Spain and to the west to Portugal  Spanish empire became great bureaucratic system built on a juridical core and staffed by lawyers  King ruled through the Council of the Indies  16 th century- Spain created 2 viceroyalties- one in Mexico and one in Peru.  Clergy formed another branch of state apparatus  Cultural life around religion- architecture, books, schools  Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz- author, poet, musician

Brazil: The First Plantation Colony  1500 Pedro Alvares Cabral landed in Brazil, but Portugal didn’t pay attention to it until 1532  Portuguese nobles given land to colonize and develop  Sugar plantations- key to economic success- worked on by African slaves  1549 Portuguese king sent an official to create a royal capital at Salvador

Sugar and Slavery  Brazil became the leader in sugar production in 17 th century  150,000 slaves by the end of the 17 th century (1/2 of population)  Brazil’s social hierarchy reflected its plantation and slave origins  Run similarly to the Spanish colonies  Portugal was different because it had important colonies in Asia and Africa  Portuguese colonies more dependent on Portugal b/c lack of intellectual life in Brazil

Brazil’s Age of Gold  Slowly international competition would increase other colonies’ sugar production and push the price down  1695 Gold strikes- slaves provided labor- this opened the interior of the country to settlement  reached its height and made Brazil the greatest source of gold  Rio de Janeiro became capital of the colony in 1763

Multiracial Societies  Society of Castas  Miscegenation  Mestizos- Indian/European mix- had higher status than the Indians  Growth of mestizo and mulatto population to about 40%  Development of peninsulares and Creoles  Women in subordinate positions

18 th Century Reforms  Colonies gained new importance with population growth in Europe and revived strength of Spain and Portugal  Shifting Balances of Politics and Trade  Spain weakened by wars, poor rulers, economic crisis  France, Britain, Holland taking islands in the Caribbean  War of Spanish Succession and Treaty of Utrecht- recognized the Bourbon family

Bourbon Reforms  Charles III worked to strengthen Spain- using some French models  Colonies- new viceroyalties created in New Granada and Rio de la Plata  Spain involved in the Anglo-French wars, where it lost Florida and Havana, California was settled  Growing dissatisfaction among colonial elite

Pombal and Brazil  Marquis of Pombal directed Portuguese affairs from authoritarian leader  Developed the interior of Brazil  Rio de Janeiro became capital

Reforms, Reactions, Revolt  Mid-18 th century boom in population and productivity  Comunero revolt 1871, Tupac Amaru rising- increased dissatisfaction with imperial policies  Social divisions hindered effective revolt until Spain and Portugal were weakened by internal European politics