WARRIORS-CONQUISTADORSFREEDOM FIGHTERS
Latin America
Table of Contents
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Aztecs
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 Cortes
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 Montezuma
 L’Ouverture
Incas
 Bolivar
 Pizarro
 Hidalgo
 Atahualpa
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Language and Religion
Freedom Fighters
Columbian Exchange
Slavery
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Revolution
 Cuban
Revolution
 Zapatistas
Aztec Review
Most powerful in
central and southern
Mexico at the time of
European exploration.
Capital-Tenochtitlan.
Modern day Mexico
City.
Good farmers, paid
large taxes, calendars,
mathematics
Conquered by the
Spanish and Cortes in
1521.
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Aztecs and Montezuma
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Hernan Cortes—Conquistador
Born in 1485 in Spain
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At 19, he sailed to the Americas to live and
learn how colonies were run. He became
mayor of a Cuban town.
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In 1518, he was told to go to Mexico to
defeat the Aztecs. Upon getting there,
other native groups joined them.
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He was welcomed by the Aztec Leader,
Montezuma II, so Aztec defeat started
easier than they had planned.
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about Cortes and Pizarro
Montezuma II—Aztec Ruler
Aztec ruler from 1500 to 1520.
Expanded the empire—forced
conquered tribes to pay the empire high
taxes and give their people for
sacrifices.
He thought Cortez was a god-like being
and welcomed him with gifts and gold.
Cortez took him hostage and ruled his
empire.
In 1520, the Spanish and Aztecs fought
and Montezuma was killed.
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Inca Review
Began in the early 1400’s.
Stretched over 2000 miles in
western South America.
Known for wealth, textiles,
roads, farming, mathematics
and accounting.
Spanish wiped out much of the
culture, but the language,
farming techniques, and textile
making remain a part of the
local culture.
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Francisco Pizarro
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Born in Spain in 1475.
Pig farmer as a boy.
In 1502 went to
Hispanola and learned
about exploring and
conquering.
In 1523, he let a
voyage to the west coast
of South America, just
south of Panama.
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Francisco Pizarro
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He was told by Indian
traders that there was
a very rich country to
the south.
In 1531, he became
viceroy of the lands
and took 3 ships, 200
men, and 3 dozen
horses to conquer the
Inca.
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Atahualpa—The Last Sapa Inca
Fought with his brother
about who would control
the empire.
Thought to be a
descendant of the sun
god.
Atahualpa was tricked
by the Spanish under
Pizarro in 1532, and this
event made for the last
of the Inca empire.
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The Last Encounter with the Inca
A meeting was arranged between Pizarro and
Atahualpa.
 When Atahualpa approached, the Spanish
attacked.
 Pizarro captured Atahualpa and demanded
ransom.
 He was executed in 1533 by Pizarro. This was the
end of the empire.
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
Spanish Settlements
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Pizarro became wealthy and powerful.
 He
founded Lima, Peru and built a palace.
 Other Spanish were jealous of his wealth.
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In 1541, Pizarro was killed in an attack on his
palace.
For the next 300 years, the Spanish continued to
rule the land.
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The Columbian Exchange
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The Columbian Exchange
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What is it?
 The
exchange of animals, plants, people, and diseases
from the Old World to the New World.
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How did it affect Latin America?
 The
goods brought from Europe changed farming—
plantations and slave labor were started.
 The indigenous population was defeated because of
disease.
 Horses allowed further and faster travel and ideas and
goods spread.
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Slavery in Latin America
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Because of the Columbian Exchange, Europeans in
America needed cheap labor.
 Labor
for mining the metals.
 Labor for farming the plantations.
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Why weren’t the native people the slaves?
 The
natives were dying from disease, violence with the
Europeans, harsh conditions.
 Many retreated to the mountains and jungles.
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Slavery in Latin America
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Brought from Africa by ship.
Most brought to the tropical areas of Latin America
where plantations were large.
Conditions were very similar to the conditions that
slaves in North America endured.
For 300 years slavery grew.
As different countries gained freedom in the 1800’s,
slavery ended.
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Descendants of Slaves
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Many of the descendants of African slaves are part
of the culture today.
A person with both African and European
background.
 People
with only African ancestors and people with
African and European ancestors make up a large part
of the population in the tropics. Cuba-60%, Brazil-50%
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Mestizos-A person with mixed Spanish and Native
American background.
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Influence on Language and Religion
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As the Spanish and Portuguese conquered Latin
America, they spread their language and religion.
Spanish
 Most
of Central America
 Most of South America
 Caribbean Islands
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Portuguese
 Brazil-because
it is so large, almost as many people in
Latin America speak Portuguese as Spanish.
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Influence on Language and Religion
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Important to note that these were the official
languages for government, business and power.
However, many indigenous people still speak their
native languages.
Others blended their native languages with
European languages. For example, Haitians speak
Haitian Creole-a blend of French and native
African languages.
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Influence on Language and Religion
When the conquistadors and settlers
came to Latin America, they sent priests,
friars, and monks to set up missions.
 Some native groups were forced to say
they were Christian, others mixed
Christianity and their traditional beliefs.
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A Desire for Freedom
The governments of Spain and Portugal ruled most of
Latin America for nearly 300 years. At times the
people being ruled by the Europeans got restless.
The American Revolution in 1776 gave some in Latin
American the idea that they too could be free. In
1789, the French Revolution showed that the kings
of Europe could be beaten. These events
encouraged Latin Americans in the belief that they
might be able to overcome their European rulers.
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Toussaint L’Ouverture
Born a slave in the mid-1700’s.
Father had been a free African who
was captured and sold into slavery.
In 1789 the French Revolution occurred
and the new French government
granted freedom to slaves and in
Haiti, they were mad and took back
the freedom.
Toussaint was furious and led a slave
army to defeat the French troops.
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Toussaint L’Ouverture
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1793-He led his men against British and Spanish
troops.
He became in charge of Saint Domingue (Haiti)
even though it was a French colony.
1802-Napolean, the French emperor, sent troops to
regain control. Toussaint was captured and sent to
France where he died.
By 1804, Haiti gained independence.
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Simon Bolivar (“The Liberator”)
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History of Bolivar
Gained Independence for:
 Bolivia
 Colombia
 Ecuador
 Panama
 Peru
 Venezuela
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Miguel Hidalgo
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Known as the father of
Mexican
independence.
Born in 1753.
Had a good
education.
Worked among the
peasants
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Miguel Hidalgo
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In 1808 France invaded Spain and the king was
removed. 3 options:
 New
French government
 Old Spanish government
 New Independent government
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In 1810, the French government turned on him, and
he started the independence movement.
He was captured and killed in 1811, and in 1821,
Mexico gained independence.
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