Culture Spanish and Portuguese Influence on Religion and Language of Latin America © 2011 Clairmont Press

Spanish and Portuguese Influences Religion Roman Catholic Languages Spanish Portuguese

Spanish and Portuguese Religious Influence Spain and Portugal were both strictly Roman Catholic. They were largely under the influence of the Pope. At the time of exploration the Spanish Inquisition was beginning. The Pope proclaimed that all natives should be converted to Catholicism. The mission system forced natives to convert. Many of the native traditions remained and they blended them with Catholic practices. Today it is estimated that 60 – 80% of people are Catholic in Latin America. Spanish Memorial in Mexico

Spanish as Official Language

Spanish Language Influence The Spanish language is very important to Latin America. Most countries today in Latin America speak Spanish as a primary language. Spanish in Latin America is different than that of Spain. There are different dialects and word meanings.

Portuguese as Official Language

Portuguese Language Influence The largest country in Latin America is Brazil. Brazil’s cultural influence on Latin America cannot be understated. Portuguese is the official language of Portugal. The Natives were forced to learn Portuguese in the Portuguese mission system.