1. History
Native American tribes existed in Latin America before the arrival of the Europeans. The Native Americans came from Asia across the Bering Strait (possibly a land bridge at one time) around BCE
3 civilizations were very important.
Maya
Aztec
Inca

2. Maya
Yucatan and Central America. Capital – Tikal. Agriculture, trade, math, glyphs, calendars, solar eclipse. Abandoned the cities. 6 Million Maya live in Guatemala and Mexico.

3. Aztec
Mexico. Capital – Tenochtitlan. Class system, grew food on floating islands called chinampas, calendars, bridges. Conquered by Cortes.

4. Peru. Capital – Cuzco. Terrace farming with irrigation, roads, and temples. Used quipu (knotted cords of various lengths and colors) to keep financial records. Pizarro conquered.
Inca

5. Ancient Maya drawing of a god being presented chocolate drink.
Cacao - Chocolate
The Maya and Aztec mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.
Ancient Maya drawing of a god being presented chocolate drink.

6. AGE OF EXPLORATION:
Period from the 1400’s to the early 1600’s. European ships traveled around the world in search of new trade routes. Advances in cartography, navigation, and ship building made it possible for Europeans to travel out of the calm Mediterranean across the more turbulent Atlantic.

7. 1492 – Christopher Columbus sails for Spain in search of a western route to the spice islands. He lands in the Bahamas which he names San Salvador. First European to come in contact with chocolate, but thought it was a useless bean.

8. Columbus’ voyages started the COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE – the widespread exchange of agricultural goods, livestock, slave labor, communicable diseases, and ideas between Europe (Old World) and the Americas (New World).

9. Amerigo Vespucci Chief navigator for Spain America named for him
Claimed Americas were the 4th
continent – Asia, Africa, Europe
and now Americas

10. Months after Columbus returns to Europe the Roman Catholic countries of Spain and Portugal went to Pope Alexander VI on a way to divide the new land. He set the line at the 38º W longitude line. (all the way to the other side of the earth in the Pacific Ocean) – Line of Demarcation. Portugal and Spain met again in 1494 and signed the TREATY OF TORDESILLAS that divided the lands of the New World at the 46º 37’ W. All land to the west belongs to Spain – all the land to the east belongs to Portugal. This is why Portugal only has Brazil in the area.

11. Vasco Nunez de Balboa discovers Pacific in 1513
First European to reach the Pacific from the New World.
Crossed the isthmus of Panama.

12. Hernando Cortes defeated the Aztecs in Mexico and established the area for Spain. He is the first European to take cacao to Europe

13. 1519 – Ferdinand Magellan begins circumnavigation of the world
1519 – Ferdinand Magellan begins circumnavigation of the world. He is killed in the Philippines, but 18 of his sailors do return to Spain. Sir Francis Drake (England) will be the first captain to complete the trip in 1577.

14. 1531 – Francisco Pizarro defeated the Incas

15. Conquistadors
Spanish word for conqueror – soldiers, explorers, and adventurers.
Cacao valued by rich
people in Europe –
seeds regularly sent
back fom New
World

16. encomiendas Spanish labor system during colonization.
the crown granted a person a specified number of natives for whom they were to take responsibility.
The receiver of the grant was to protect the natives and teach them Spanish and how to be Roman Catholic
They could exact tribute from the natives in the form of labor, gold or other products, such as in corn, wheat or chickens. Basically slave labor.

17. The top of society had all the land and all the money.
Before the French and British even began to settle North America – The Spanish had set up Spanish society in Latin America.
Hispanoles / Peninsulares – Spaniards born in Europe
Creoles – Spaniards born in the New World
Mestizos – Spanish and Native American mix
Mullotoes – Spanish and African mix
Indios – Native Americans
Africanos – African slaves
Top
Bottom
The top of society had all the land and all the money.

18. Viceroys
A royal official who runs a country, colony, or province (or state) in the name of and as representative of the Monarch.
Latin America was split into the Viceroyalties of La Plata, New Spain, and New Granada

19. Late 1600 – 1700’s – Triangle Trade – sugar, rum, and slaves were the main commodities. Slaves were needed to work on sugar, tobacco, and cacao plantations.

20. haciendas
Large plantations owned by the wealthy and worked by indigenous people (almost slaves)
Conquistadors given large land grants for conquering the area

21. 1776 – The areas of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay unite as the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata.

22. 1800 - Spain returns Louisiana to French

23. 1804 – Haiti becomes the first country in Latin America to gain independence from colonial powers (France)

24. Cacao - Chocolate
Industrial Revolution at the end of the 1700s leads to new machinery – cacao press and conching machine make it possible to make solid chocolate
Latin America becomes one of the main producers of cacao. Workers paid very little.
Consumers are in the developed world.

25. 1807 – Simon Bolivar begins his revolutionary movement
1807 – Simon Bolivar begins his revolutionary movement. Eventually, he will help in revolutions in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bolivia. He is known as “El Libertador” – The Liberator. He later serves as president of Greater Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia

26. Jose de San Martin Helped revolutions in southern
South America – Chile, Peru
and Argentina

27. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Sept 16, 1810 he rings the bell of the church in Dolores, Mexico and proclaims an end to Spanish rule in Mexico and calls for equality for Mexico’s various races and redistribution of land. The Cry of Dolores has great appeal to the poor.
9/16 is Mexico’s
Independence day.

28. Agustin de Iturbide
General that brought about the end of the Mexican War of Independence
Named emperor of Mexico
The Army of the three guarantees – equality, Roman Catholicism, and independence from Spain
Abdicates, leaves, returns, executed

29. 1810 – Mexico declares independence from Spain.
Chile and Colombia become independent of Spain.
1811 – Paraguay and Venezuela become independent of Spain
Spain abolishes slavery.

30. 1819
Spain sold Florida to the US for $10 million.

31. Gran Colombia President Simon Bolivar
Fight between federalists and unitarians.

32. 1816 – Argentina gains independence from Spain.
1821 – Spain loses Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and recognizes Mexico.
1822 – Ecuador becomes independent from Spain and Brazil becomes independent from Portugal

33. 1825 – Bolivia gains independence from Spain
Uruguay gains independence from Brazil
1844 – Dominican Republic gains independence from Haiti.

34. 1836 - The independent Republic of Texas broke away from Mexico
The independent Republic of Texas broke away from Mexico. It joins the US as a state in 1845.

35. 1848, The Treaty of Guadalupe – Hidalgo ends the Mexican – American War. US purchases the land that becomes California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and part of Texas for $15 million. This is only half what the US offered before the war (when the treaty was signed - US troops were stationed in Mexico City).

36. Caudillos – strongmen – dictators ruled many Latin American countries after independence. These men were revolutionaries that planned coup d'états. Governments were very unstable in this region

37. Last purchase of the 48 contiguous states – The Gadsden Purchase from Mexico for $10 million (Today’s money – $230 million) Part of the treaty also gave the US the right to build a canal across Tehuantepec, Mexico (US built Panama instead)

38. 1898 –Cuba gains independence from Spain
1898 –Cuba gains independence from Spain. The US acquired Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam after the US won the Spanish – American War. The war began when the USS Maine was sunk off the coast of Cuba. US claimed Spain sank the ship (probably not). Puerto Rico and Guam are territories – can vote, but no senators nor representatives. Philippines independent. This war showed the need for Panama Canal – Most US ships were in San Francisco when the war began.

39. 1902 – Big Stick Diplomacy
Theodore Roosevelt’s policy that the US can intervene in neighboring politics if the country is unstable.
US policy that uses military to back up negotiations. Also called gunship diplomacy.

40. 1902 – US grants independence to Cuba
1902 – US grants independence to Cuba. US had taken control of the island in 1898 because Spain could not keep the violence under control.

41. Platt Agreement gave US rights to intervene in Cuba
Gave US rights to Guantanamo Bay Naval Bay
Cuban sugar had preference in US

42. 1902 - US buys the Panama Canal Zone from France
US buys the Panama Canal Zone from France. The US works to finish the project. Colombia is not happy with US intervention in the area.

43. US wanted to control the Panama Canal area, but Colombia would not agree to the US terms. The US backed the rebels against Colombia. In 1903, Panama declared independence from Colombia. Panama then grants the US permission to complete the canal and control it until Opens in 1914

44. 1906 – widespread revolution broke out in Cuba
1906 – widespread revolution broke out in Cuba. President Roosevelt decided the US must intervene to bring stability. “Good Neighbor Policy” US troops remained in Cuba for 28 months.

45. Poverty Gap
30% of people lack land, adequate food, shelter, and basic education. The elite have affluence and wealth.
In some countries up to 85% of the land and wealth belongs to only 1% of the citizens.
Free enterprise – everyone has the ability to make a living.
Democracy – outlet for protest and opposition
Education – the best way to improve the lives of citizens.

46. 1910 – Mexican Revolution.
Revolutionaries such as Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata fought against the Presidential forces of Porfirio Diaz. The revolutionaries wanted reforms (especially land reform). 90% of the wealth was controlled by 1% of the people.

47. Juntas caudillos backed up by military
Somoza dynasty in Nicaragua begins in 1936
CIA installs a military junta in Guatemala
Francois Duvalier (Papa Doc) is elected in Haiti. It soon develops into a nightmare
Che Guevara launches his Marxist revolution in Bolivia in 1966
Noriega takes power in Panama in President George H. W. Bush sent 24,000 troops into Panama in 1989.
US intervenes in Guatemala 1954, Chile 1973, and Nicaragua 1984

48. 1946 – General Juan Peron was elected to his first presidency of Argentina. He and his wife Eva “Evita” headed the Peron Party that was a third party between communism and capitalism. He supported labor unions and government control, but he was not popular with the military. Perons entertained many celebrities at presidential palace in Argentina.

49. 1949 – Cold War – power struggle between the communist world, led by the USSR, and the non-communist world led by the US. There were no actual battles in this “war”, but Vietnam, Korea, and Cuba could be considered part of the Cold War.

50. 1959 – Fidel Castro overthrows the government of Fulgencio Batista in Cuba. He begins collectivism and a move to communism. Unable to get support from the US he turns to USSR.

51. 1962 – Castro allows USSR to base nuclear weapons in Cuba
1962 – Castro allows USSR to base nuclear weapons in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy orders a blockade of Cuba. This situation came very close to starting World War III.
Jamaica becomes independent of Britain.

52. 1966 – Guyana becomes independent of UK
1973 – Bahamas become independent of UK
1975 – Suriname becomes independent of the Netherlands
1981 – Belize becomes independent of the UK

53. – Argentina’s “Dirty War” state sponsored crack down on left wing revolutionaries and anyone else considered a threat (students, journalists, trade union members, and former supporters of Peron). Government admits 9,000 died, but human rights groups claim closer to 30,000. Known as the “Disappeared”

54. Augusto Pinochet Ruled Chile 1973 – 1990
Took control from democratically elected Salvador Allende (Allende was a communist and the US did not like him).
Pinochet Dissolved congress
Backed by US and others he started harshly cracking down on communists and other left-wing groups - during his rule, more than 3,200 people were executed or disappeared, and scores of thousands more were detained and tortured or exiled.

55. Iran-Contra
US funneled weapons to Iran (there was an embargo) in return for money that was secretly supplied to the rebels (Contras) in Nicaragua (Reagan’s government. prohibited by Congress from supplying Contras)

56. 1994 – NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement
1994 – NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement. Allows goods and services to cross borders without paying tariffs. Includes Canada, US, and Mexico.

57. TODAY
Latin American countries rely on cash crops – need more skilled labor, money, and natural resources.
Urbanization is occurring in Latin America and US & Canada. People are moving to urban areas to find jobs.
Many Latin American industries are owned by foreign companies.
Deforestation of the rainforest is of international concern. Some US companies have begun buying parcels of land for reforestation and conservation projects.

58. Debt for Nature swap
Many Latin American nations are burdened by tremendous international debt. They borrowed money to improve living conditions.
Environmental agencies and organizations are paying of some of the debts in return the governments must set aside rainforest land.

59. Hugo Chavez
Move to the left – toward communism. As well as Cuba – Venezuela (Chavez), Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Paraguay have moved left and are disengaging ties with the US.
Chavez nationalized the petroleum industry.
Media is censored
He would like a united
Latin America with him as leader.
Anti-US

60. Raul Castro
After nearly 50 years as dictator – Fidel handed over command to his brother Raul in 2008.
Possible move to the center and better relations with the US

61. Felipe Calderon
2006 became president of Mexico after a contested race.
Rejects the idea of building a barrier between the US and Mexico
Strong supporter of NAFTA
4 – 6 million illegal aliens in US that came through Mexico. Most exploited by smugglers along the way.
widespread discrimination of Amerindians.

62. Mexican Drug War
Mexican Drug War - Drug cartels control some areas along the border of US & Mexico. Over 28,000 killed on both sides of conflict since 2006 – most violent place on earth.