1. Latin America: European Conquest and Independence
Unit Seven Notes
Name: __________________

2. Spain vs. Portugal
Christopher Columbus asks both countries to sponsor his voyage…Spain agrees
Countries become rivals and tried to stop each other from claiming land in the Americas
Treaty – an agreement in writing made between two or more countries
In 1494, signed Treaty of Tordesillas, which set the Line of Demarcation (imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole at 50 degrees longitude)
Spain got everything to the west and Portugal got everything to the east
WHO GOT THE BETTER END OF THE DEAL?

3. Spanish Conquistadors
Conquerors who settled in the Americas in hope of finding treasure.
If he found treasure, Spain got 1/5 of it.
If he failed, he lost his own fortune.
If he succeeded, he and Spain gained wealth and fame.

4. Hernan Cortes
Spanish soldier who reached Mexico in 1519 in search of treasure
He was mistaken for a god, Quetzalcoatl, because the Aztec had never seen horses before, and thought he and his army were supernatural
Cortes tried to get Moctezuma, the Aztec ruler, to surrender to Spain
Cortes conquered the Aztec at Tenochtitlan, with help of their enemies, in 1521
Cortes was successful because he had help from Malinche, the daughter of a Mayan leader

5. Francisco Pizarro
Spanish conquistador who captured and killed the Incan emperor and leaders
By 1535, he had conquered most of the Incan empire

6. Spanish had guns and cannons, rode horses
How were the conquistadors able to defeat the two most powerful empires in the Americas?
Spanish had guns and cannons, rode horses
Europeans carried diseases such as smallpox, measles, and chicken pox. These diseases wiped out entire villages.
Some Native Americans helped the conquistadors
By 1540’s, Spain claimed most of the Americas, and Portugal claimed Brazil.

7. Spain Organizes Its Empire
Divided empire into provinces
Two most important provinces were New Spain (Mexico City) and Peru (Lima)
Mestizo – person of mixed Spanish and Native American decent
Mulatto—person of mixed African and European ancestry
Hacienda – plantation owned by Spaniards or the Catholic Church (Native Americans were forced to work on them)
Encomiendas – right to demand taxes or labor from Native Americans

8. Effect of European Rule on Native Americans
Least powerful class
Forced to work on haciendas for settlers
Also worked in mines after silver was discovered
Died from overwork and malnutrition or diseases
Population in L.A. decreased from 25 million in 1519 to less than 2 million in the late 1500s

9. Independence in Mexico
Revolution – political movement where people overthrow the government and set up another
Criollo – had Spanish parents, but were born in Latin America
Only people born in Spain could hold political office

10. Miguel Hidalgo Began struggle for independence in 1810
Criollo priest in Dolores
Spanish government discovered his plan, but he acted before they arrested him
Rang church bells..”Cry of Dolores”
Army made up of mestizos and Native Americans
Won a few battles, but in full retreat by 1811
Hidalgo tried to flee, but was captured, tried, and convicted of treason
He was executed in July 1811

11. Miguel Hidalgo Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821
Mexico celebrates Sept. 16 as Independence Day; president rings a bell in Mexico City and repeats the “cry of Dolores”

12. Agustin de Iturbide High ranking officer in Spanish army
Joined rebels fighting for Mexican independence
People opposing rebellion changed their minds because they trusted him
In 1821, he declared Mexico independent

13. South American Independence

14. Simon Bolivar – “The Liberator”
Greatest Latin American revolutionary leader
From a wealthy Venezuelan family
Joined fight for Venezuelan independence in 1804…six years later became the leader
1822 –freed Gran Colombia: future Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama
Became president of Gran Colombia
Eventually drove remaining forces out of South America after meeting with San Martin and fighting alone
Hoped to unite South America as one country, but did not…retired from politics
Set standard for LA leaders

15. Simon Bolivar became dictator of Peru in 1824
Upper Peru became a separate state; named Boliva in Bolivar’s honor (1825)
narrowly escaped assassination; resigned as president of Colombia in 1830
died Dec. 17, 1830

16. Jose de San Martin
From Argentina, but served in the Spanish army for 22 years
helped defend Spain against invading French forces of Napoleon from 1808 to 1811
resigned his commission and went to join Argentina’s struggle for independence

17. Jose de San Martin Loved by his troops for suffering along with them
Defeated Spain in 1817 when he took his troops through the Andes into Chile
Declared Chile’s independence
Took Peru from Spain in surprise attack by sea

18. Toussaint L’ouverture
1791 – slave revolt; Toussaint became one of its leaders
led a black army against France, helping France to abolish slavery in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti)
By 1796, ruled the colony with the consent of its French governor
Toussaint resisted Napoleon’s large army and began a revolution to free the colony from French control
later that year, captured; imprisoned in France; died on April 7, 1803

19. Brazilian Independence from Portugal
In the early 1800s, French armies invaded Portugal, and the royal family fled to Brazil for safety.
The king returned to Portugal in 1821, but his son, Dom Pedro, stayed to rule.
Pedro declared Brazil independent in 1822.
Portugal accepted Brazil’s independence in 1825.