1. Bell Ringer What do you know about Latin America?
What is an oligarchy?
Name a country that is in Latin America.

2. Bell Ringer What can cause instability in the government?
What European Powers had Latin American largely won their independence from?
What type of governments did the New Latin American countries want to set up?

3. Bell Ringer
Why were elite vs masses struggles common in Latin America?
What things were exported from Latin America?
Name an individual associated with the Mexican Civil war or Revolution of 1910

4. Bell Ringer
Name one person who was a President of Mexico between 1910 and 1914.
Name a US President who supported a Mexican Leader. Why?
What affect do you think the Great Depression would have on the instability of Mexico?

5. CH 21: Influences & Political Revolutions in the Americas

6. Changes to Latin America
The 1800s saw a number of revolutions that brought South and Latin American independence from European powers, specifically Spain & Portugal
These new nations modeled their new constitutions and governments on the USA and other European countries (France)
Traditionally, Latin America had been ruled by oligarchies, or small groups of upper class citizens

7. Though many of these nations received independence from Europe, their countries were plagued by instability.
Caudillos, army generals or powerful civilian leaders backed by armed groups, attempted to seize power of these countries
Caudillos were often from the upper class, so when they assumed control of the government they did so with the support of the upper class.

8. Argentina One exception to the chaos was Argentina.
Juan Manuel was able to rule Argentina from
He successfully defeated multiple overthrow attempts by caudillos
Most countries were not so lucky
Mexico had 48 governments between
Chile had 30 governments between

9. Elite v Masses
Latin America was denoted by a struggle between the Elite and the Masses
The Elite attempted to preserve the old colonial ways, where much of their power base was found
The Elite was composed of wealthy merchants and professionals

10. Though the Elites often claimed they would rule in Enlightened ways to best benefit all people: they often only had their own well being in mind, and believed most commoners were not ready for more rights
The result were strong governments, and civil unrest
Most Latin & South American nations (Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, and Venezuela) experienced long periods of unrest
Venezuela continued until 1908 when a military dictator took over (an is currently rebelling)

12. Economic & Social Trends of Latin America
Latin America was largely based on exports
Americans and Europeans bought coffee and sugar
Great Britain bought cattle and sheep
Rubber, wool, copper, and nitrates were brought across Europe
These Latin American countries started to develop their roads, harbors, railroads, and invested in steam power. Foreign investors were often involved in these upgrades

13. US investments brought about rapid industrialization
By the early 1900s the US replaced Britain as the biggest investor in Latin America
What have we learned that helps to explain this (Doctrine & Corollary)?
US investments brought about rapid industrialization
By World War I Latin American produced
18% of the world’s grain
38% of the world’s sugar
62% of the world’s coffee, cocoa, & tea
This made Latin America rich, but the masses did not benefit as much as most

14. As ranches and plantations grew many peasants and native Indians were forced off their land.
Many of these people moved to the cities in search of factory jobs, and the population of cities boomed
San Paulo, Brazil: : 35,000 -> 350,000
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: : 500,000 -> 1,000,000
The populations of Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru remained largely rural

15. Mexican Revolution In 1910 Mexico had 30 years of stable government
The President, General Porfirio Diaz, had repeatedly won re-election in rigged elections
He also kept control of the country by suppressing the newspapers, and killing those who opposed them

16. Most of the wealth accumulated from stayed in the upper class.
Diaz kept control by claiming that he was modernizing the country and preparing it for democracy
Foreign investors built railroads, factories, mines, irrigation, agricultural communities, and the oil industry
Most of the wealth accumulated from stayed in the upper class.
This upset the middle class, the poor stayed poor, and the criticism of Diaz continued to grow

17. Revolution of 1910
The discontent with Diaz grew, and in 1910 a wealthy land owner, Francisco Madero, ran for President
Diaz was not overly concerned about Madero, and believed that he would be able to control this election like the previous 30 years
The problem for Diaz, however, was that the popular support for Madero continued to grow

19. Madero used his wealth to start a rebellion
Faced with the fact that he might not win the election Diaz took reasonable steps
Diaz had Madero arrested
Madero escaped from prison and called on the people of Mexico to revolt
Madero was shocked when no uprising happened
Madero used his wealth to start a rebellion
He hired bandits in the North, the most famous being Pancho Villa
In the south an Indian leader Emiliano Zapata raised an army of 5,000 men

20. Madero was president, but only briefly
The rebels faced the Mexican Army and won, Diaz fled to Europe & Madero became President
Madero was president, but only briefly
Zapata stopped supporting Madero when the President refused to return lands taken from Indians
Unhappy workers took advantage of the situation, joined unions, and started going on strikes for better labor conditions
Diaz’s former supporters launched their own revolts, which were put down by Army General Victoriano Huerta

21. Huerta forced Madero’s resignation in 1913, and became President
Madero placed taxes on Mexico’s oil production, which annoyed the US and British investors who controlled the fields
US President Taft took measures to protect US investments and supported General Huerta
The US mobilized troops to back a revolution, but they never got involved
Huerta forced Madero’s resignation in 1913, and became President
Huerta had Madero executed shortly after

22. Huerta was soon overthrown by Madero’s ally Venustiano Carranza
Villa, Zapata, and a rancher named Alvaro Obregon led the army
US President Wilson, when he became President in 1913, supported pro-Carranza rebel
This was contradictory to the fact that the last US President had supported Huerta

23. Huerta fled Mexico under increased US pressure
In August of 1914 Carranza declared himself President
Villa and Zapata turned against Carranza, but the Mexican army had defeated both by 1915
Periodic fighting took place until 1934

24. Constitution of 1917
In 1917, under President Carranza, created a new constitution
It turned revolutionary ideas into law
The government could seize and redistribute land
Created minimum wage
Limited working hours
Created government sponsored retirement, life, health, and unemployment insurance
Workers could create unions and strike
All Mexicans could have free public education
Created Freedom of Religion

25. The last stipulation of the new constitution nationalized Mexico’s mineral and oil resources
Though Carranza helped to form the constitution he didn’t carry it out
The people lost faith in Carranza, and backed the Revolutionary hero Alvaro Obregon.
When Carranza tried to arrest Obregon fighting broke out, and Carranza fled the country
Obregon would become the 1st Mexican President elected in a free and fair election

26. Post-Revolution
Many historians called Obregon’s election the end of the Mexican Revolution
Obregon took significant steps to institute social reform throughout Mexico
He moved slowly to avoid angering
The Catholic Church
Foreign Investors
Elites of Mexico
There were still period rebellions & assassination attempts

27. He created the National Revolutionary Party
In 1928 Obregon was re-elected as President, but was assassinated before he could take office
His replacement, Plutarcho Calles, developed a plan on how to make Mexico Politically stable
He created the National Revolutionary Party
It invited leaders from the military, peasants, labor, regional, and religious groups to help select a new president
NRP is now called the PRI

28. He carried out the reforms of the Constitution
In 1934 a radical reformer was named President of Mexico, Lazaro Cardenas
He carried out the reforms of the Constitution
He distributed land to landless farmers
He strengthened labor unions
He seized the railroads and oil industry from foreign countries.
He strengthened the peasants influence in the PRI
The PRI would help to control Mexico for the rest of the 20th century
The implementation of these reforms makes some historians say the Mexican Revolution in 1940

29. Mexican Revolution’s Impact
Most of Latin America admired the Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution weakened traditional power structures across Latin America
Argentina gave all males the right to vote in 1912
Argentina would elect it’s first President and not an oligarchy
Peru would give native Indian political rights

30. Chile benefitted urban workers
1929 Ecuador gave women the right to vote (Brazil, Cuba, Uruguay all did by 1934)
In 1925 Ecuador overthrew their government
Bolivia waged war with Paraguay
Brazil’s wealthy landowners controlled the government, and became known as the “coffee elite”
Venezuela was the world’s largest exporter of oil (Still high in that list)

31. Great Depression
The Great Depression destroyed the economy of Latin America
The price of sugar, bananas, copper, and oil all fell dramatically
The Elites still had power, but they weren’t as powerful as before
Reform minded governments cracked down on labor and peasant groups

32. Across Latin America life manifested in many different ways
The Depression cut down on exports, and Latin American nations became more self reliant
Across Latin America life manifested in many different ways
Columbia and Brazil became more self reliant
Mexico and Bolivia struck against their foreign investors
Paraguay remained largely rural and isolated