Matching Key Terms

Review

• a person who settles on someone else’s land without permission

• a laborer who travels from one area to another, picking crops that are in season

• a public square at the center of a village, a town, or a city

~Chapter 4~Mexico & Central America

~Section 2~ Guatemala : Descendants of an Ancient People

Key Terms• ladino (luh dee noh) n. a mestizo, or person of mixed Spanish and Native

American ancestry in Guatemala

• land reform (land ree fawrm) n. the effort to distribute land more equally and fairly

• political movement (puh lit ih kul moov munt) n. a large group of people who work together for political change

• strike (stryk) n. a refusal to work until certain demands of workers are met

The Struggle For Land

The People & The Land

• Most land in Guatemala belongs to a few rich families.

• These rich landowners are known as ladinos.

Land Distribution

• The wealthy landowners are against reform.

• Clashes between people for and against reform have led to violence and civil war.

The Mayas Lose Their Land

A 500-Year Struggle

• Mayas have not filed papers with the government to show that they own their land because they cannot read or write.

Civil War

• Beginning around 1960, a civil war raged in Guatemala for more than 30 years due to land reform.

Working For A Better Life

Defending Campesino Rights

• Movements have been taking place to fight poverty and bring human rights to the Mayas.

– They teach people the history of their land and how to read.

– They help organize meetings, protests, and strikes.

– Most importantly, these political movements defend the land rights of Native Americans.

• As a result of these efforts, Mayas have gained more of a voice in the government than they used to have.

Changes Come to Guatemala

• Bills were passed in 1996 to rebuild Mayan villages, however, not all of these agreements have been carried out.

• Government violations of human rights increased in 2000, setting off new protests.