H ISTORY OF L ATIN A MERICA Chapters 10 and 11

M EXICO Native Peoples Teotihuacan, Toltec, Maya, Aztecs

Spanish Conquest 1519, Cortes landed Conquered the Aztecs

S PANISH C ONQUEST When Cortes conquered the Aztecs they built Mexico City on top of Tenochtitlan. They also combined the cultures of Spain and the Native Aztecs Brought the Catholic religion and Spanish language Created a culture known as mestizo, or the combination of Native American and Spanish

Mexico gained independence in 1821 Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Est Introduced democracy and political stability

U RBANIZATION OF M EXICO Most Mexican citizens are moving into the larger cities of Mexico Maquiladoras Large manufacturing areas along the northern border Imported goods are assembled into finished products, which are then exported to other countries North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Creates a trade zone between the United States, Canada, and Mexico Allows goods to travel freely between the three countries

C ENTRAL A MERICA Cultural Hearth: place from which important ideas spread Mayan Influence Guatemala

United Provinces of Central America Declared independence from Mexico in 1823 Split into separate countries in 1830s

P ANAMA C ANAL Cuts through Panama and connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. One of the most important shipping lanes in the world. Uses a series of locks to move ships through the Canal Owned by the United States until it was given to Panama in 1999

When the Spanish conquered the Caribbean, they tried to enslave the Native Americans Needed them to work on the sugar plantations, but the Native Americans kept escaping or dying. Spain and other European countries began to bring in slaves from Africa.

Culture is a blend of Native American influence and Spanish influence=Mestizo Language and religion Spanish Catholic Protestant

S OUTH A MERICA Inca Andes Mountains Empire ran 2500 miles along west coast

Spanish conquered Incas in 1500s Forced religion and language on Natives

Independence Movements Inspired by American and French Revolutions Simon Bolivar Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia Jose de San Martin Argentina, Chile, Peru

M ERCOSUR Economic group that allows free trading between the countries of South America Member countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay (Venezuela is about to become a member) Goal is to encourage trading and cooperation in South America Similar to NAFTA

B RAZIL Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) Portuguese gained control of modern day Brazil Gained independence in 1822

M IGRATION IN B RAZIL Urbanization The gap between the rich and poor is vast in Brazil Millions are moving to the cities for manufacturing jobs Moving to the Interior 80% of Brazilians live close to the ocean The government is encouraging movement to the cerrado (plains) for farming

C URRENT I SSUES FOR L ATIN A MERICA Unstable governments Rainforest resources being depleted

U NSTABLE GOVERNMENT Historically, Latin American countries have been oligarchies A government run by a few people or small group

U NSTABLE G OVERNMENT How oligarchies succeed: *majority control of military Censored the press Limited free speech Punished dissent

U NSTABLE G OVERNMENT Sometimes the military would rule in a junta which is run by generals During the 20 th century, many countries were run by a caudillo, a military dictator

E STABLISHING S TABLE D EMOCRACIES Goals of reform: Est. constitutional government Have a freely elected government Participation of citizens

R AIN F OREST R ESOURCES Biodiversity: wide range of plant and animal species By the end of the 20 th century, nearly 50 million acres of rain forests worldwide had been destroyed Biodiversity: wide range of plant and animal species By the end of the 20 th century, nearly 50 millions acres of rain forests worldwide will have been destroyed Rainforest Resources

R AIN F OREST R ESOURCES Deforestation: cutting down and clearing away of trees Rain forests help regulate the earth’s climate Home to about 50% of world’s plant and animal species Deforestation: cutting down and clearing away of trees Rainforests help regulate the earth’s climate Home to about 50% of world’s plant and animal species Rainforest Resources

R AINFOREST R ESOURCES Debt -for-nature swap: environmental organization agrees to pay off a certain amount of government debt and in return, the government agrees to protect a certain portion of the rain forest