History History of Latin of Latin AmericaAmerica

Ch. 9 Sec. 2

Ancient EmpiresAncient Empires• Olmecs: 1400 BC-500 BC

–Mexican Gulf Coast–Ruled by priests & royals/elite

• No mention of military–Known for giant stone heads (40

tons)–Mastered crafts- rubber, jade, stone

carving

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mexico.Tab.OlmecHead.01.jpg

Ancient EmpiresAncient Empires• Mayan: 250-900

–Southern Mexico/ Northern Central America

(Guatemala/ Yucatan Pen.) –Ruled by priests & nobles

• Priests performed sacrifices for good harvests, war success

Ancient EmpiresAncient Empires• Mayan cont’d

–Extensive farming techniques/terracing• Lots of maize population grew quickly

–glyphs for recording history & honoring gods (Spanish burned most books many left un-translated)

–365 day solar calendar

Tikal (Guatemala)

Chichen Itza

Ancient EmpiresAncient Empires• Aztecs: 1300s-1520s

–Founded Tenochtitlán in Central Mexico- Present day Mexico City

–Chinampas- floating islands• Foods shared with world

–maize (corn)–chocolate (xocoatl)- only for elite

though- “Food of the gods”–tomatoes

Ancient EmpiresAncient Empires• Aztecs cont’d

– Ruled by emperor next military, then majority (farmers), last were criminals & slaves

– Priests had own class• Human sacrifices to sun god to rise ea. day

– Tens of thousands: mostly P.O.W.s and some noble family members

Ancient EmpiresAncient Empires• Inca: 1430s-1530s

–Andes Mountains, Ecuador Chile–Ruled by emperor (Sapa Inca)

• Then military (very oppressive)–Extensive road network through

mountains (rivals Romans)• Runners to warn of rebellion, invaders• All roads went thru Cuzco

Original Incan road

Machu Picchu

Ancient EmpiresAncient Empires• Inca cont’d

–Used quipu for record keeping (for traders)

–Spoke Quechua• No written language

–Masters of terracing & irrigation from Pacific Ocean

–Domesticated alpacas & llamas

Quipu

Terracing

Decline of EmpiresDecline of Empires• Olmecs: ?? (volcano, absorbed)• Mayan: ?? (frequent war??,

overpopulation over farm??)• Aztecs: Spanish conquistador

Hernán Cortés (1521)• Inca: Spanish conquistador

Francisco Pizarro (1535)

Early EmpiresEarly Empires• Early empires practiced

polytheism, which is the belief in many gods.

European ConquestsEuropean Conquests• From 1500s-1700s

–Colonizing for power and resources for home country• Columbian Exchange: widespread

exchange of animals, plants, culture, • As disease killed many Natives, they

began enslaving Africans to meet labor shortages

Latin Latin American American

RevolutionRevolutionss

Sources of Discontent- Sources of Discontent- Late 1700sLate 1700s

1. Viceroys- Spanish governors2. Peninsulares- Spaniards living in Latin

America3. Creoles- straight European descent4. Mestizos- Native + European5. Mulattoes- African + European6. Zambos- Native + African7. Amerindians- Natives

ALL distrusted one another

Sources of Sources of DiscontentDiscontent• Peninsulares/Viceroys wanted self-

rule• Creoles read works of

Enlightenment thinkers; All looked to American & French Revolution wanted more rights

• Natives & Africans wanted freedom from slavery

• Finally acted when Napoleon defeated Spain (made weaker)

Haiti’s StruggleHaiti’s Struggle• French-ruled• Sugar & coffee plantations = 1/2

million slaves lots of $ for France

• 25,000 free (but not equal) mulattoes

Haiti’s StruggleHaiti’s Struggle• Revolted in 1791• Led by Toussaint L’Ouverture

–Former slave, but educated• Napoleon went in to regain• 1804: Complete independence

• Haiti is first non-slave nation in Western Hemisphere

•United Central United Central America followed America followed suit (early 1820s)suit (early 1820s)

•Union broke:Union broke:

•GuatemalaGuatemala

•NicaraguaNicaragua

•HondurasHonduras

•El SalvadorEl Salvador

•Costa RicaCosta Rica

•But how do they But how do they know how to rule know how to rule themselves?themselves?

SimSimóón Boln Bolíívarvar• 1810: Bolivar led revolt in

Venezuela form republic (did not last)

• Went on to Ecuador, Peru, & Bolivia republics

• Joined Jose de San Martin–Leader in Argentina & Chile

BrazilBrazil• Napoleon beat Portugal • Royals fled to Brazil • King made reforms • Left son Dom Pedro to rule… • But new powers in Portugal

were against Dom Pedro…

BrazilBrazil• He made Brazil independent

constitutional monarchy • Freedom of press & religion;

elected legislature• 1889: became republic w/o

any violence

Caribbean Caribbean IndependenceIndependence

• 1898: Cuba from Spain• 1900s: Jamaica & Barbados

from Britain

• Some still under foreign control

Panama CanalPanama Canal• Isthmus perfect place to connect

oceans• Ferdinand de Lesseps (Suez

Canal) tried but failed–Disease, geography, $

• Bunau-Varilla asked US pres TR (1901) to aid building

Panama CanalPanama Canal• Panama was part of Colombia at time

–Colombia refused to give up land• Panamanians revolted, US helped

them• Panama gained independence (1903)• Canal began in 1904, until 1914• US owned until 1999

CubaCuba• Like others, people were discontent

with government • Cuba- gap b/w rich and poor

–Revolution led by Fidel Castro set up Communist State with military dictator (1959)

Timeline Timeline • On a blank sheet of paper, create

a timeline about the history of Latin America.

• Choose FIVE events–Must give a description of the event

and a colored picture for each event–Due Monday