LATINAMERICACULTURALGEOGRAPHY

SSWG2

3NativeGroupsof

LatinAmerica

HistoryofMexico

Colonialism&Independence

§ Conflict between natives & settlers from

Spain/Spanish Conquest

§ Result = bonding of Indian & Spanish cultures

§ Teotihuacan, the Toltecs, the Maya (Yucatán

Peninsula), Aztecs

SpanishConquest

§ Native life ended with beginning of Spanish

conquest

§ 1519 – Hernando Cortes

§ Aztec City of Tenochtitlan – Mexico City

§ Conquered by 1521

SpanishConquest&Independence

§ Mexico part of Spanish empire until 1821

§ Abundant in Gold & Silver

§ 1822 – Agustin de Iturbide proclaimed himself

emperor

§ Mid 19th century – Benito Juarez reform, president

§ Secular nation, education, land distribution

§ Diaz – ruled for 30 years, corrupt

§ Francisco Madero, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata –

revolution & civil war

§ Constitution 1917

§ Now ruled by PRI

CultureofMexico– Aztecs

&Spanish

§ Canals linked city (use of water)

§ Lake Texcoco – grew food in islands

§ Tenochtitlan – Aztecs human sacrifice

§ *The past is still present in Mexico*

HistoryofCentralAmerica&theCaribbean

§ Fragmented & politically unstable b/c of its

proximity to oceans/land bridge

§ Crossroads of world trade & cultural hearth

SpanishinCentralAmerica

§ Maya

§ Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras

§ Independent states ruled by god-king

§ Spanish conquest in Mexico = Spain in Central

America until 19th century

§ 1823 – independent United Provinces of Central

America

§ Split up into countries

Native&ColonialCaribbean

§ Europe controlled – only purpose was economic

gain w/ no regard for native people & cultures

§ Taino – inhabitants of early Caribbean

§ Many died as result of disease & mistreatment with

the establishment of sugar plantations

§ Spanish brought Africans for slavery resulting in

lasting influence on life & culture here

TheCaribbean&

Independence

§ Spanish, French, British, Dutch & Danish claimed

islands

§ Slave revolt in Haiti – French controlled, Toussaint

L’Ouverture in 1790s

§ Spanish-American War (1898) – Cuba indepdence

from Spain

§ Jamaica & Trinidad and Tobago U.K. Independence

(1962)

SouthAmerica&theInca

§ Inca – descendants from people who crossed land

bridge from Siberia to Alaska

§ Built around the Andes – primarily Cuzco, Peru

§ 1500 – 2,500 miles along west coast (Ecuador to

Argentina)

§ Road system linked the empire

IncanConquest

§ Francisco Pizarro – Spanish Conquistador

§ Killed emperor, took over empire

§ Forced natives to work land for gold & silver

§ Spanish Conquest changed history of South

America

§ Devastating effect of native population

§ Spanish culture dominated

§ Simon Bolivar & Jose de San Martin

§ Liberators of South America

§ Geographic issues (mountains, rainforests) =

underdeveloped

Brazil

§ Treaty of Tordesillas

(1494) – Division of South

America; Portugal got

Brazil

Brazil

§ 1-5 million different native groups

§ Sugar plantations = wealth for Portuguese

§ Settlement along coast

§ Rainforests in center = difficult farming

§ Disease killed natives = slaves from Africa

§ Brazilians = mixed European, African & native

ancestry

§ 1500 – 1822

§ Gained independence

CrashCourse§ https://www.thecrashcourse.com/courses/worldhi

story1

CULTUREOFMEXICOSSWG2

MEXICO

§ Blend of Spanish influences with original native

cultures

§ Spanish cultural diffusion with STRONG Indian

heritage

§ Spanish brought their language & Catholic Religion

§ Mexican heritage evident through artwork &

architecture

§ Public art

§ Mix of European & Native American influences

§ Pyramids

§ Cathedrals

CULTUREOFCENTRALAMERICA&THECARIBBEAN

SSWG2

CultureofCentralAmerica

§ Native Mexican & Spanish influences

§ Spanish language

§ Catholic religion

§ Spanish conquerors = no regard for native culture

§ Cut down forests

§ Opened land for grazing livestock

§ New crops (wheat)

§ Built towns, farms, ranches

§ Moved natives from land into towns

CultureoftheCaribbean

§ Many countries present = many cultures present

§ African influences incredibly important

§ Many are African descendants b/c slavery

§ Impacted village life, markets, choice of crops

§ Catholic & Protestant

§ Santeria – African practices w/ Catholic elements

§ Voodoo – Haiti

§ Religious & political Rastafari movement – Jamaica

§ Spanish, French, English, Dutch, Danish

CultureofSpanishSpeakingSouth

America

§ Culturally complex b/c of region’s isolation after

independence

§ Many cultures living near each other but do not mix

§ Strong literacy heritage

§ Popular music & folk music traditions

§ Street music

§ Indian, African & European elements

§ Classical music – symphonies & operas

§ Craftwork & handmade items for usefulness &

beauty

§ Spanish-Speaking

Brazil

§ Portuguese, Native American & African influences

§ More success in blending ethnic groups

§ Most natives of Brazil live in the Amazon Rainforest

§ Many immigrants

§ Portuguese-Speaking

§ Largest Catholic population in world

§ 15% Protestant

§ African beliefs mixed w/ Catholicism form other

religions

§ Brasilia – capital city; impeccably beautiful

architecture to draw people to interior of country

BrazilToday

§ Carnival – Rio de Janeiro; colorful parade to the

tune of samba

§ Brazilian dance with African influences

§ Capoeira – martial art & dance that developed in

Brazil from African origins

§ Copacabana Beach, Sugarloaf Mountain,

Guanabara Bay – Cultural & economic