Latin America

1. Latin America

2. Focus • Again, we will focus on the forces that acted on Latin America • Latin American agency not significant in terms of this course • Begin in Unit 3 with arrival of Spanish and Portuguese explorers • Primarily Spain, but will highlight comparison/contrast with Portugal

3. Colonial Period Unit 3

4. Age of Exploration • Portugal and Spain • Henry the Navigator, Columbus • Territory marked by Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) • Portugal gets Brazil • Spain gets the rest

5. Meeting the Natives • Conquistadors • Hernan Cortez destroys the Aztecs • Francisco Pizarro destroys the Inca • At first, just taking tribute • Leave political structures in tact and put Europeans on top

6. Conquest • Immigration, commerce, and exploitation • Colonies established with natives as serfs, but they mostly die • Causes importation of slaves • Encomiendas

7. Settlement • Slave importation, immigration of women shifts process from conquest to settlement • Spanish style cities, missionaries, administrative institutions (included the Church) • Spaniards come to better themselves, serve god, become a new nobility • Encomiendas banned, so plantations and haciendas formed

8. Colonial Economy • Based primarily on mining, then agriculture to provide for miners • Trade limited to Spanish ships • Total exploitation of native resources and labor

9. Colonial Government • Lawyers and judges ran the government for the crown • Viceroys in control in the New World of various segments • Church plays a major role • Missionaries • Education • Part of the government

10. Portugal in Brazil Similarities Differences Brazil’s economy was mainly sugar plantations (gold and diamonds later) Political control remained in Europe Completely culturally dependent on Portugal • Many missionaries and key role for the Church • Plantation system similar • Both imported slaves • Develop a unique culture, blending Spanish and native

11. Society • Mestizos • Peninsulares • Creoles • Women were subordinate, couldn’t own property, marriages were arranged

12. 18th Century Reforms • New king removes corrupt officials and takes more control • Economy becomes less diverse • All benefit the empire, but not local elites, who will eventually revolt • Higher taxes and rising prices from more government involvement

13. Revolutions Unit 4

14. Influences • American • Revolutions in the Western Hemisphere are possible • French • Yay liberty! Yay no king! Woah…let’s not get crazy • Haitian • Oh crap

15. Independence Movements • Mexico • Hidalgo pushes peasants to revolt • Conservative creoles eventually establish moderate republic • South America • Bolivar in the north, San Martin in the south • Fail to create united regions, but independent republics form • Brazil • Formed an empire, Portuguese king’s son

16. New States • Abolished slavery, but only slowly granted full rights to non-whites • Elites maintained control • Women remained subordinate • Racial differences didn’t go away • Caudillos – local military leaders – took control after economic problems

17. 1820-1870 • Britain becomes neocolonial power • Demand for raw materials for industrialization expands economy • Benefits mostly the landholding elite • Liberal politicians restore rights

18. 1880-1920 • Great Boom • Profit from increased demand for raw materials, becoming more export-dependent • Mexico • Railroads help economy, modernization but on the backs of peasants • Limited protests sparked 1910 revolution • Argentina • Economy expands, beef exports • Heavy European influence from immigration • Socialists force reforms • America becomes major player: Panama Canal, colonies

19. Mexico • 1821 – independence (briefly monarchy, but a republic) • Caudillo – Santa Anna • War with America (1848), big loss, liberals take over • Conservatives bring Maximillian from Europe to be emperor • Executed, replaced by dictator Porfirio Diaz • Economic growth, but repression

20. Brazil • Military put down regional revolts • Shifted to coffee cultivation • More slavery, economic growth, foreign investment, and immigrant labor • Military coup overthrew monarch in 1889, violently repressed peasants

21. 20th Century Unit 5

22. Mexican Revolution • Diaz was mean • Repressed peasants • Foreigners owned economy, elites only benefited • Zapata, Villa lead revolution • Obregon takes control with a republican constitution promising education and land reform • Nationalism and indigenism

23. The Depression • During WWI, import-substitution industrialization. Inflation followed • Rise of populism and nationalism, with Depression, caused attack on liberalism and capitalism • Population growth, dominance of cities  new social problems

24. Ideological Changes • Labor gained power, European immigrants brought new ideologies • Middle-class allied with elites, bringing new protests from poor • Land reform in Mexico. Corporatism – like state-run guilds for all industries and workers • Growth without labor conflict

25. After WWII • Challenge of trying to industrialize and “decolonize” • War brought economic growth, socialist ideology • Guatemala: nationalist reforms, companies got US to intervene and stop land reforms, causing more unrest and guerrilla conflict • Cuba becomes communist with social reforms but no freedom or growth

26. Military Option • Thought they knew how to organize and run things, were above petty politicians • Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay had military interventions in the 1960s-70s • Bureaucratic authoritarian regimes: • imposed dictatorships, repression and torture controlled critics • Nationalistic and anti-communist • Controlled inflation, caused growth • Hurts the workers

27. Present Times • Military steps back, democracy takes root • Populist socialist leaders in some places • Women slowly gained equality, at first were subordinated within political parties • Urbanization • Population movements