Mayans
-Central America
-concept of 0, large temples, 365 day calendar
Incas
-Extensive road system to maintain the Empire (like Rome)
-Terrace farming for agriculture on the mountain sides
Aztecs
-Capital city of Tenochtitlan ruled by Montezuma
-City built with Chinampas, or floating gardens.
-Chinampas were used to grow more food

(3) New advances led to increased sailing: Compass, Astrolabe,
Cartography, Caravel ships
Portuguese and Spanish dominate exploration:
Portuguese
1415- Prince Henry the Navigator
-fleet of ships explore African Coast finding Cape of Good Hope (Dias 1488)
-Vasco da Gama found all water trade route to India’s port cities
Spanish
1492- Columbus Sails West towards Asia
-The New world is split b/t Spain and
Portugal by Treaty of Tordesillas
-Founded Columbian Exchange- Global transfer of goods, food, ideas and people

The Americas were discovered by Christopher Columbus who established trading routes between Europe and the “West Indies”
Latin America was quickly populated by European settlers looking to strike it rich with gold. The trade route between the Americas and Europe was the Columbian
Exchange.

Positives
-New foods thrived in Europe and created a surplus of food (increase population)
Negatives
-disease spread from Europe to the New world killing millions
-permanent contact between the East and
West established
-Natives were subjected to a form of slavery under the Encomienda system
-African Slave trade begins

A racial social structure meant which effectively enslaved the Native Americans
Peninsulares- Spanish Born
Race
Natives and African (slaves)

As trade with the American colonies increased many Europeans began investing in companies to make a profit.
European nations also adopted
Mercantilism. This policy involves a nation building up their wealth by
EXPORTING more than they IMPORT.
In other words, they sell more than they buy.

The people of Latin America had witnessed the American Revolution. Then the French Revolution. They were inspired by both, particularly the creoles, who read translated copies of the American Declaration of Independence.
• Lack of political influence
• Distant foreign king
• Outdated social system
• Financial crisis
• Unfair Social classes
• Lack of political influence

When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain in 1808 the people of
Spanish controlled Latin America saw it as an opportunity to revolt.
Napoleon placed his brother on the throne of Spain. Latin
American leaders saw this as a sign of Spain’s weakness. With
Spain preoccupied with the French, the opportunity for them to demand independence from colonial rule had arrived.
The Spark!!

Haiti
-led by Toussaint L’Ouverture, the slaves of Haiti rebelled
Mexico
-Father Miguel Hidalgo led a peasant revolt to free the Mexicans from Spanish rule. He was unsuccessful
-Mexico earned independence in 1802 but struggled with democracy
Columbia
-Simon “the Liberator” Bolivar leads Columbians and others in independence throughout Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
-envisions a Gran Columbia but political differences and geography prevents it
7:48

Latin America is considered a third world nation because much of the area lacks water supplies, many areas deal with struggling governments and limited infrastructure.
As third world nations, Latin America provides cheap labor, new markets, and resources

Cuba did not gain independence until 1902 with help from the US. The US maintained puppet governments led by presidents backed by the US.
The US maintained the right to intervene in Cuban affairs for decades, and US investors mostly controlled Cuba’s economy.
Fidel Castro made several attempts at Coup’s to overthrow Cuba’s government, but did not succeed until 1958/59
Castro created a Socialist and Communist government, and the Cold War era US cut off relations. Today, diplomatic relations are strained and an Embargo prevents trade.