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Questionnaire for Midterm
Fall 2014
Latin American humanities: Concepts & Terminology
1. What is Latin American Humanities? The Humanities of Latin America
(HUM 2461) explores the human cultural legacy of the region defined as Latin
America. This legacy has developed through fifteen millennia during which time
various peoples have created ideas (philosophy), beliefs (religions), achievement,
tools, habitats, and artifacts (art, architecture) of lasting value, and they have
handed them down from one generation to the next. Peoples in the Western
Hemisphere have dealt with their own specific physical context (oceans, jungles,
mountains, etc.) and hardships (wars, diseases, etc.) in ways unique to the
conditions found in the lands located between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.
Both individuals and groups of people have produced the objects, ideas, and
values that have contributed to this legacy. In fact, the idea of handing on an
enduring legacy is one of the most distinctive features of any and all humanistic
traditions.
2. What is called Pre-Colombian era? Incorporates all period subdivisions in
the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of
significant European influences on the American continents. While the
phrase "pre-Columbian era" literally refers only to the time preceding
Christopher Columbus's voyages of 1492, in practice the phrase usually is
used to denote the entire history of indigenous Americas cultures until those
cultures were significantly influenced by Europeans, even if this happened
decades or centuries after Columbus's first landing. For this reason the
alternative terms of Precontact Americas, Pre-Colonial Americas or
Prehistoric Americas are also in use. In areas of Latin America the term
usually used is Pre-Hispanic. What is Syncretism/sincretismo? It is the
process by which various elements from one culture are fused into another
culture to form a new cultural unit. Latin American culture and humanities
are essentially syncretic.
3. What is Horror vacui? From Latin, meaning, "fear of a vacuum/void". The
aspects of pre-Columbian humanities that show a tendency to fill up all
available space for carving, painting, ritual, etc., demonstrate the notion of
horror vacui. Also, Spanish baroque linguistic and visual humanities also
demonstrate this characteristic. Therefore, in Latin America, which is a
fusion of pre-Columbian and Spanish-American traits, one sees a heightened
presence of horror vacui in the humanities.
4. What is Admiratio? From Latin, meaning "wonderment". Early Latin
Europeans in the Americas reacted to each and every novelty they
encountered with amazement, wonderment, appreciation, admiration,
ecstacy. In the 20th century Latin Americans rediscovered this sense of
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amazement over their own realities. This is one of the principle
characteristics of the periods of Conquest and Colonization. For the purposes
of this course, the term can be extended to the unique relationship between
the peoples of Latin America and the challenge posed by often dramatic
conflicts with geography, nature, and weather.
5. What is Cupio? From Latin, meaning, "desire". A strong motivation for LatinEuropean conquest was getting rich and powerful. Cupio involves such a
strong desire for possession of valuable things (gold, silver, jewels, land,
souls, etc.) among native’s Americans that it led to a violent lust for them.
This is one of the principle characteristics of the periods of Conquest and
Colonization.
6. What is Nominatio? From Latin, meaning, "naming". The Latin-Europeans
who arrived in the New World undertook a thorough process of naming or
often—though not always—renaming every place they encountered. The
naming process is a secondary form of possessing. This is one of the principle
characteristics of the periods of Conquest and Colonization.
7. What is Lo ctónico? One of the root ideas of so-called Magical Realism,
based on the notion of the original Greek earth modern goddess, Chthon. The
notion is that all of Latin American reality and expression in language and the
arts arises from and is based on what comes specifically and uniquely from
the earth of Latin America.
8. What is Metaphor? The kind of comparative rhetorical device by which
one independent image is united to another separate image and fused into a
single new unit. Metaphor involves the direct fusion of two (or more) images,
whereas simile says one image is merely "like" another. Metaphor is
prominent in pre-Columbian pictographs and glyphs, and it is also a
prominent feature of baroque aspects of the humanities. It becomes a
prominent feature again in 20th century Latin America.
9. What is Colonial/Colonization? The Latin American period following
the periods of discovery and conquest; principally, 1600 - 1810, which ended
with the Latin American wars of independence. Latin America was ruled by
viceroys. Their role was to serve European kings' interests, and uphold
imperial power structures. The humanities are dominated by Eurocentric
styles and content, but native’s American elements continue to fuse with
those of Europe.
10.
What is Baroque? The second phase of the European Renaissance
that dominates the 16th century in Latin America. Baroque humanities occur
during the first half of the Colonial Period (1600 - 1700). Baroque traits in
the humanities: heavy adornment and decoration; pessimism; horror vacui;
preoccupation with death; extravagant rhetoric and metaphors.
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Physical Geography of Latin America
11. Provide two characteristics of Latin American Physical Geography? Latin
American physical characteristics are 1) exotic nature. 2) Inner separation by
geography (mountains, deserts, river, seas, forest, et cetera).
12. Provide two characteristics of American Physical Geography? Unity of the
continent, and variety of nature (from pole to pole) are two characteristics of
America (north, middle and south)
13. What is it called “The Americas” or “America”? To the entire continent. After
the construction of the Panama Canal, the term “The Americas” was coined in
all the fields of study.
14. How is Latin America divided geographically? It is divided in three regions:
1) Middle America and Central America. 2) Caribbean (West Indies), and 3)
South America.
15. Where the slaves of Yoruba stay? When the Spaniards brought African to
America, most of the Yoruba people worked in coffee, banana and sugar
plantations in Cuba.
16. Where the Garífuna people were taken? Among the Africans brought by the
Spaniards there was the Garifuna people. Most of them worked in Honduras
y Belize.
17. To what do we call waterways? Waterways are rivers and mountain ranges,
they make great natural borders in America. There are three main
waterways: 1) Río Grande (México). 2) Amazon River (Perú & Brazil) and 3)
Pánama Canal (Pánama) (Man-made/built in 1914)
18. OHw do we depicte the Amazon River nowadays? As the most significant
inner separation of land by geography & as the best representation of exotic
nature (diversity of fauna and flora). The Amazon River is known as the
world’s second longest river.
19. How many important mountain ranges America has? America has three
important mountains ranges: 1) Pacific Ring of Fire (Pacific Ocean), 2) Sierra
Madre (México), and the Andes (South America)
20. What do you know about Sierra Madre? Sierra Madre is three mountain
ranges in México that meet in México City (México Distrito Federal = México
D.F.) in the valley of Teotihuacán, next to the lake Texcoco, place where the
Tenochca and Mexica built their cities: Tenochtitlán and Tlatelolco.
21. What other characteristics of Latin American Physical Geography are taken
in consideration when talking about gateways to civilization? 1)
Lowlands/Llanos (Colombia & Venezuela), 2) Plains/Pampas (Argentina),
3) Deserts as the Atacama Desert (Chile), and 4) Amazon Rainforest
(Brazil & Peru)
22. What kind of climate Latin America has? 1) Low latitudes: Hot (the Torrid
Zone), 2) Mid latitudes: Mixed (temperate zone), 3) High elevations: Cold,
and 4) Rainforest: Rainy and very hot.
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The Maya Civilization
23. When does the classic period start in Maya civilization?
The Pre-Classic period in the Maya civilization ends with the invention of the Mayan
calendar of 365 days in 353 CE, and it is the beginning of the Classic Period.
24. To which country does the Yucatan Peninsula belong?
It belongs to the country of Mexico.
25. Where is the Maya civilization is located?
It’s located in the following places: Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El
Salvador.
26. Where is located the city-state of Tikal?
It is located in the country of Guatemala.
27. Where is the Temple I pyramid located?
It is located in Tikal, and it is also known as The Jaguar Temple.
28. Who is the greatest figure in Maya history?
The greatest figure in Maya history is the lord emperor Hasaw Chan K'awil, the 26th
ruler of Tikal.
29. What is Hasaw Chan K’awil main contribution to Maya architecture?
A high, steep series of stepped platforms on the top of which was the temple
structure with a single doorway and a roof comb at the building's crown. This style
marks Tikal's humanistic and socio-economic peak.
30. What does Hasaw Chan K’awil do in the year 692 CE?
In 692, Hasaw Chan K'awil (Hasaw) began to lay out and oversee the construction of
several new twin-pyramid groups of temples and palaces in a variety of location
throughout the city-state of Tikal.
31. What did happen in 900CE?
After 900, Tikal was never re-occupied.
32. For whom was the Temple II pyramid built for?
The Temple II pyramid (located in Tikal) was built to honor Hasaw's wife, Lady
Twelve Macaw. Temple II is also known as the temple of The Temple of the Masks.
33. What is a codex? A codex is a book that narrates passages of a culture,
community or city-state.
34. What do Maya codices look like?
Maya codices are folding books, written in Maya hieroglyphic script on
Mesoamerican bark cloth, made from the inner bark of certain trees, the main being
the wild fig tree or amate.
35. How many codices are related to the Maya civilization?
Scholars now have access to a body of four codices.
36. What are the names of the four codices found?
The Maya codices have been named for the cities where they eventually settled:
Dresden codex, Paris codex, Grolier codex and Madrid codex.
37. What is the Popol Vuh?
It’s a complete version of the history of the world’s creation by the people from
Quiché.
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38. What is the name of the sacred book that belongs to the people from
Quiché?
It is called the Popol Vuh.
39. How many parts have the Popol Vuh?
It has 3 parts. And the first part deals with the creation of the world.
40. How many chapters have part 1?
It has 9 chapters.
41. Who claims to be the earthquake god in the Popol Vuh?
Cabracán
42. What is the name of the main characters of the Popol Vuh?
Hunahpú and Xbalanqué.
43. Who claims to be the creator of mountains in the Popol Vuh?
Zipacná.
44. Who is Vucub-Caquix in the Popol Vuh?
It is the name of a bird demon defeated by the Hero Twins of the Quiché-Mayan
myth preserved in an 18th-century document, entitled 'Popol Vuh'.
45. Who is Kukulkán in the Popol Vuh?
Kukulkán is the chief Mayan deity during the Maya-Toltec period; god of wind, light,
life, water; a demigod believed to be the founder of civilization and Chichén Itzá.
46. Who is Chaac?
Chaac is the Mayan god of rain, wind, thunder, lightening, fertility, and agriculture;
Chaac represents the four cardinal points of the compass, and he was pictured with
an upturned, trumpet-shaped nose , two fangs, and a headband.
47. In which peninsula is Chichén Itza center located?
In the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
48. Where is the Temple of the Warriors pyramid located?
The Temple of the Warriors (El templo de los guerreros) pyramid is located in
Chichén Itzá.
49. Which temple holds the Maya gods Kukulcán and Chaac?
The Temple of the Warriors pyramid (El templo de los guerreros).
50. Which language was spoken during the Maya civilization?
The language spoken by the Mayas is called (nowadays) Maya.
51. Which temple holds the Teotihuacán gods Quetzacoatl and Tláloc?
The Temple of Quetzacoatl pyramid in Teotihuacán.
52. Which temple holds the Aztec gods Huitzilopochtli & Tláloc?
The Twin Temples or Templo Mayor 1 & Templo Mayor 2 in the city of Tenochtitlán.
Teotihuacan Civilization
53. How the archeologists define Teotihuacán architecture?
Archeologists have registered two different periods for Teotihuacán architecture:
the first period has been called Teotihuacán I and the second period, Teotihuacán II.
54. How different is the first period: Teotihuacán I from the second period:
Teotihuacán II?
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The architecture in each of them has a different style. Teotihuacán I architecture
shows a Classic style; while Teotihuacán II, a Baroque style.
55. ***What are the characteristics of Teotihuacan I architecture?
The Classic style holds 1) sober adornment, 2) elegant, 3) clear decoration, 4)
optimism, 5) no fear to open spaces, 6) simple and harmonious style, and 7)
preoccupation with organized civilization.
56. What are the characteristics of Teotihuacan II architecture?
The Baroque style contains 1) strong adornment, 2) extreme decoration, 3)
pessimism, 4) horror vacui, 5) preocupation with death, 6) extravagant rhetoric
metaphors. 7) The new Tláloc is different from the earlier one. The new one has
masks, jaguar claws, and numerical symbols. 8) Gods proliferate. 9) The style is
much like the Spanish (or European) baroque style of the 17th century.
57. ***Which constructions were done during the first period: Teotihuacan
I?
Two pyramids: the pyramid of the Sun (la pirámide del sol; 210 feet high), and the
pyramid of the Moon (la pirámide de la luna; 138 feet high). Both are solid
structures; they are not hollow inside like the Egyptian pyramids. There are flatroofed temples on top of both pyramids.
58. How is the central "street" of Teotihuacan called?
It’s called Street of the Dead (la calzada de los muertos), which is one mile long and
has 12 flat-roofed temples flanking it.
59. How is the architecture of the third pyramid, the Temple of Quetzalcóatl
pyramid?
It’s decorated with friezes of serpents, serpent heads, feathers, and the pre-Aztec
god Tláloc. The overall concepts here are: (1) massive architecture; (2)
overwhelming sacred space and structures.
60. ***How different is Teotihuacan II from Teotihuacán I?
After the destruction of Teotihuacan I, the city was reborn. Archeologists call it
Teotihuacan II. The new city features a new concept. It is now baroque (highly
ornamented) rather than classical (elegant, relatively unadorned). Gods proliferate. There
is a pantheon present in the sacred system. Murals now show fierce and ornate tigers,
quetzal birds (from southern Mesoamerica), more serpents, and plumed snails. Motifs are
outlined in black, colors are filled in, and jaguars are intertwined. In other words, the
style is much like the Spanish (or European) baroque style of the seventeenth century.
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The Aztec Civilization
61. How many CODICES are related to the Aztec civilization?
Scholars now have access to a body of around 500 colonial-era codices.
62. Name three Aztec codices:
Among them we find Boturini Codex, Florentine Codex, Codex Borbonicus, Codex
Mendoza, Codex Osuna, et cetera.
63. Aztecs / Mexica / Tenochca (1100-Aztlán) / Tenochtitlán was built in
1325, and it was taken by Hernán Cortéz in 152. It is 31 miles southwest
Teotihuacán. It had about 200,000 residents.
64. Who were the Aztecs?
Aztecs did not call themselves Aztecs, but rather Mexica and Tenochca.
65. What did the Tenochca people achieve?
They founded their capital on an island in the lake Texcoco in a high valley
(Teotihuacán valley) in central Mexico known as Tenochtitlán (built in 1325).
66. What did the Mexica people achieve?
They built Tlatelolco, and became a trading city, located north to Tenochtitlan.
67. Which language the Aztec civilization spoke?
The Aztec language was Nahuatl. It belongs to the Uto-Aztecan family of languages,
which means it is related to native languages that were spoken as far north as the
present-day state of Utah in the United States of America.
68. What was the Aztec society like?
It was a theocratic society, meaning that religious authorities ruled.
69. What does Tenochtitlán mean?
It means people from Tenochca.
70. Where is Mexico City located?
It is located on top of what used to be the Aztec city called Tenochtitlán. Lake
Texcoco holds nowadays the city of Mexico D.F. However, during the Aztec Empire
there were two cities in the are: Tenochtitlán (for the Tenochca people) and
Tlatelolco (for the Mexica people). The name of the country, Mexico comes from the
word Mexica.
71. Why Tenochtitlán is important?
Because it holds the Twin temples: Templo Mayor 1 and Templo Mayor 2. This
temple contains two main gods: Huitzilopochtli & Tláloc. While the temple of
Quetzacoatl in Teotihuacán holds two main gods: Quetzacoatl & Tlaloc.
72. Why is Tlatelolco city important?
Because it was a market place., and it is the last place of resistance against the
Spaniards.
73. When Hernán Cortés took over the Aztecs?
From 1519 to 1521. In 1519, Cortés was invited by emperor Moctezuma to visit
Tenochtitlán, in 1520 Cortés killed the Aztec emperor, and blamed it to Moctezuma’s
people. In 1521 Hernán Cortés captured Cuauhtémoc in Tlatelolco, and that’s the
end of the Aztec empire.
74. What are Tenochtitlán & Tlatelolco known as?
They are known as the SISTER CITIES.
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75. Why Tepeyac is important?
Because Tepeyec was the worship site for the Goddess mother Tonantzin for both
Tenochca and Mexica peoples. It also was located near by both SISTER CITIES.
76. Who was Huitzilopochtli?
It was the Aztec’s main god (war god). It’s name means “hummingbird of the south”,
original Mexica war god and god of sacrifice and the sun; patron deity of the
Mexica/Aztecs.
77. Who is Coatlicue or Tonantzin?
She is the mother of Huitzilopochtli, the goddess of creation and destruction, birth
and death, beginning and end, light and darkness.
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The Inca Civilization
78. What was the name of the area controlled by the Incas?
It was called Tawantinsuyo.
79. What is the name of the Tawantinsuyo’s capital?
Cusco.
80. Where is the Qoricancha (the temple of the sun [Inti]) located?
In Cusco city.
81. What is the name of one of the main sacred cities of Tawantinsuyo?
Machu Picchu.
82. Incas believed in three realms: Kay Pacha, Hanan Pacha and Uku Pacha.
Which one pertains to the upper realm?
Kay Pacha.
83. Which one pertains to the inner realm?
Uku Pacha.
84. For the Incas, who is Wiracocha/Viracocha?
It was the god of everything. The creator.
85. Who is Pachacamac?
It is the earth-maker. He was a tectonic creator god.
86. In 1150 an Inca tribe settles in Cusco region, how many legends tell the
history of the creation of Cusco?
2 legends: 1) the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo; and 2) the legend of the 4
brothers and the 4 sisters.
87. What is the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo about?
Both were brought up from the depths of Lake Titicaca (Perú & Bolivia) by Inti
(sun)., and ordered to build the city of Cusco wherever the baton given by Inti god
sank.
88. ***When did Incas aggressively expand?
In 1438 Inca Yupanqui leads a heroic and successful defense of the city. He takes
control of the Empire and becomes known as Inca Pachacuti (Pachacutec).
89. When does the empire start its rapid territorial expansion?
Between 1438 and 1463. During this period Incas formed an empire (Quechua:
Tawantinsuyu).
90. When Machu Picchu was built?
In 1438.
91. What does Tawantinsuyo mean?
It means four cardinal points. Suyo means “side”, “location”.
92. ***What happened in 1471?
Túpac Inca becomes king upon the death of his father (Inca Pachacuti). He pushes
south into Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.
93. What happened in 1493?
***Huayna Cápac (Túpac Inca’s son) becomes king. He further expands the Inca
Empire over the following 30 years. He added portions of land to the north in
modern-day Ecuador and northeast of Peru. The advance south halted after the
Battle of the Maule where they met determined resistance by the Mapuche (south-
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central Chile and southwestern Argentina). The empire's push into the Amazon
Basin, near the Chinchipe River, was pushed back by the Shuar in 1527.
94. ***What happened in 1532?
Huayna Capac's sons Huáscar and Atahualpa fought against each other for the
Tawantinsuyo Throne, this fight is known as the war of the two brothers.
95. What Pacha means?
It means world/realm.
96. How many Pachas are considered in Inca cosmology?
There are three Pachas: 1) Hanan Pacha (totemic representation is CONDOR),
Hanan Pacha means Upper Realm. 2) Kay Pacha (totemic representation is PUMA),
Kay Pacha means perceptible realm, where humans, plants and animals live. And 3)
Uku Pacha means Inner Realm.
97. With what is Uku Pacha associated?
Uku Pacha is associated with dead as well as with new life. As the realm of new life,
the realm is associated with harvesting and Pachamama represents the fertility
goddess.
98. How can you associate Coatlicue/Tonantzin (Aztec goddess) with
Pachamama/Mama Pacha (Inca goddess)?
Coatlicue or Tonantzin is the goddess of childbirth, fertility, dead and life for the
Aztecs, and Pachamama means the same for the Incas. Both are located in the “Inner
realm” (Uku Pacha) in the pantheon of Inca gods.
99. Name four main Inca deities:
Wiracocha/Viracocha (the creator); Mama Pacha or Pachamama (harvesting,
planting, fertility); Pacha Camac (Earth-maker. He was a chthonic creator god;
Mama Cocha ("sea mother". Sea and fish goddess, protectress of sailors and
fishermen.)
100.
Who is Pacha Camac?
He is the earth-maker. He was a chthonic creator god.
101.
Who is Wiracocha/Viracocha?
He is the creator. The maker.
102.
Provide three main characteristics of Inca Architecture:
1) Inca architecture is known for its fine masonry, which features precisely cut and
shaped stones closely fitted without mortar.
2) Inca architecture tries to match the surrounding landscape, grew organically.
3) Rectangular building without any internal walls and roofed with wooden beams
and thatch. There were several variations of this basic design, including gabled
roofs, rooms with one or two of the long sides opened and rooms that shared a long
wall.
4) Two-story buildings are found in Machu Picchu, but they were infrequent in other
places.
5) Wall apertures, including doors, niches and windows, usually had a trapezoidal
shape. They could be fitted with double or triple jambs as a form of ornamentation.
6) The most common composite form in Inca architecture was the kancha.
103.
What is kancha?
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It’s a rectangular enclosure housing with three or more rectangular buildings placed
symmetrically around a central courtyard. Several kancha could be grouped
together to form blocks in Inca settlements. A testimony of the importance of these
compounds in Inca architecture is the central part of the Inca capital of Cusco.
104.
What are QUIPUS?
It’s is a counting or recording system used by the Incas.
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