The Americas, now known as Latin America, has gone through many changes in its history, from being conquered by Spain and Portugal, to the people fighting for its independence and finally, making a living as newly independent countries. From the years 1850 to the end of the 19th century, each region had influences, specifically those that dealt with the after effects colonial rule had on the land. Nations that made up Latin America began modifying different portions in their government in attempts to benefit the majority of the people. More or so, they accomplished this goal, each with their own challenges. Evidently, changes within the social, political and economic systems were focused on external factors.
Ideas that came from Europe and
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In the 1800’s, Latin America was made up of people from different ethnicities as well as multi-ethnic people such as indigenous people, African people, including both slave and free, people of mixed blood (mestizos, mulatos, and others who were born from race …show more content…
Creole leaders anticipated for the hierarchy to stay in place after independence because they wanted to become the leaders of the nations. A nation that kept the social hierarchy after Independence was Brazil which had become an independent monarchy with Pedro I as their emperor. A year prior to 1889, a law was passed that abolished slavery within the region which eventually led to Brazil’s monarchy to collapse and soon right after, “In November 1889, the military proclaimed a republic.” During post colonialism, Liberalism started to make its way through Latin America. “Liberty. Equality. Popular Sovereignty. America for Americans.” were a few concepts that represented it. Liberal governments ruled most regions in Latin America, but often failed as they were changed every few years. Conflicts within new rising governments were often caused by the ideas Liberals and Conservatives had on specific topics, one being the amount of power given to the Church. Liberals desired to have the “freedom of worship and the separation of church and state” while conservatives “wanted Catholicism to remain the official religion of the new republics.” Liberals were influenced by progressive models while conservatives stayed with the old colonial model. Although liberalism wasn’t successful during the beginning of Independence, it managed to make its way back during the era of Progress, but not soon
The Latin American revolutions occurred during the 18th- and 19th- centuries. These revolutions had multiple issues that shaped their independence and wars, such as the social structures of their colonies. At the top of Spanish society were the Peninsulares, which were the most powerful people who were born in Spain, and the only class that could have jobs within the government. They also had power over economy and government. Whereas the Creoles were
When the Europeans first arrived in Latin America, they didn’t realize the immensity of their actions. As history has proven, the Europeans have imposed many things on the Latin American territory have had a long, devastating effect on the indigenous people. In the centuries after 1492, Europeans would control much of South America and impose a foreign culture upon the already established civilizations that existed before their arrival. These imposed ideas left the continent weak and resulted in the loss of culture, the dependence on European countries, and a long standing ethnic tension between natives and settlers which is evident even to this day. The indigenous people of South America, which
American attitudes towards Latin America can be summed up as an extension of larger global directives, and the exclusion of foreign powers in the region. This was highlighted especially during the Cold War as US involvement was essentially in competition with the USSR. Latin America was therefore a mere pawn in the larger context of US-Soviet competition for global dominance. The actions and methods used are also characterized by the lack of an international authority, or an atmosphere of inter-state anarchy, which shaped their calculations in the endeavor to increase their influence over Latin America. When one analyzes the situation, it seems only rational that the United States treated its southern neighbors so, due to the geographical
For decades, the history of Latin America has been shrouded in a cover of Spanish glory and myth that misleads and complicates the views of historians everywhere. Myths such as the relationship between natives and conquistadors, and the individuality of the conquistadors themselves stand as only a few examples of how this history may have become broken and distorted. However, in Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest Matthew Restall goes to great lengths to dispel these myths and provide a more accurate history of Latin American, in a readable and enjoyable book.
The Creoles were a group of people of Spanish blood that were born in America, Spanish immigrants and Spanish people called Peninsulares held most high ranking jobs. The Creoles led the fight for Latin American independence because they did not have positions politically and the economic system was unfair. Politically, the creoles didn’t have much of a say but they were more involved than other people lower on the hierarchical pyramid. The Creoles had the economic and social influence because of their higher position, but “the peninsulares monopolized all administrative positions” (Doc B).
The Bourbon Reforms in Spanish America and the Pombaline Reforms in Brazil were both motivated by the European state’s interest in increasing defense, centralizing authority, and expanding economic benefits of the their Latin American colonies.
Models for post-revolutionary Latin American government are born of the complex economic and social realities of 17th and 18th century Europe. From the momentum of the Enlightenment came major political rebellions of the elite class against entrenched national monarchies and systems of power. Within this time period of elitist revolt and intensive political restructuring, the fundamental basis for both liberal and conservative ideology was driven deep into Latin American soil. However, as neither ideology sought to fulfill or even recognize the needs or rights of mestizo people under government rule, the initial liberal doctrine pervading Latin American nations perpetuated
After the age of enlightenment, colonies and nations around the world began questioning their rulers and ruling nations. Liberal and nationalist ideas spread across Europe and the world, especially after the French Revolution. When these beliefs spread to the colonies of America, independence movements and revolts occurred. The Latin American revolution and Haitian revolution were both significant events during the 19th century that affected both their respective nations and the world. While both revolutions resulted similarly such that a social hierarchy based on race existed after independence, they differ in that while the Latin American revolutions placed an emphasis on ending the Spanish casta system, Haitian revolution was based on freeing slaves.
Even though most of Latin America became independent of European colonial rule in the 19c, what were some of the cultural influences and other ties that still existed between the two continents? Between 1810 and 1825, all the Spanish territories on the American mainland gain their sovereignty from Spain. Simultaneously, the power of the Catholic Church diminishes, including its patronage of the visual arts. During these war-torn years, cultural production declines. These years witness political reform and the beginnings of self-fashioned societies. Caudillos or military dictators initially fill the vacuum left by the break-up of colonial rule, including Juan Manuel de Rosas (1793–1877) in Argentina,
What once was a relatively free and peaceful place started to feel the wrath of the cruel invaders. After decades of the Spanish rule, the Latin American colonies decided to finally take back what once was theirs. Latin America, under the rule of Spanish forces, faced problems. The revolutions that took place during this time were influenced by the ideas from the Age of Enlightenment.
Latin Americas desire to emulate European culture and race caused many hardships for people of color. Even before Latin America gained its independence, Natives and Africans were treated as inferior. During the neo-colonial period, the elites made it a point to imitate European culture and any
Extreme blood mixing was going on. Between the Europeans, the natives, and Africans brought in to replace the dead natives, new races were popping up in Latin America. Right then the population in Latin America was undergoing vast changes.
In the early 19th century, Latin American countries broke free from the shackles of European colonists and started independence movements to form their own nations. At first the idea of freedom to start their own countries —politics, free trade and all— was enticing. But, Latin Americans soon learned that the Western European countries and the United States tried to take advantage of them financially at any opportunity that arose. Newly independent countries like Mexico, Venezuela, and Honduras tried to get themselves on the map and raise their wealth through exporting the natural resources found in their countries. While they tried to emulate the United States and Western Europe, liberals like Sarmiento and Porfirio Diaz failed due to the
The Independence of Latin America was a process caused by years of injustices, discriminations, and abuse, from the Spanish Crown upon the inhabitants of Latin America. Since the beginning the Spanish Crown used the Americas as a way to gain riches and become greater in power internationally. Three of the distinct causes leading Latin America to seek independence from Spain, were that Spain was restricting Latin America from financial growth, (this included restrictions from the Spain on international trade, tax burden, and laws which only allowed the Americas to buy from Spain), The different social groups within Latin America, felt the pressure of the reforms being implicated on them
There are many differences as well as similarities in the development of nation-states in Africa in the 20th century and the development of nation-states in Latin America in the 19th century. One main comparison we can formulate is that both nation-states developed because of the results of decolonization in Latin America in the 19th century, and anti-colonial movements occurring in Africa; both working for the same objective. However, in Latin America their main aim consisted of their people to the ones in control over the land. For example, Simon Bolivar and his independence movement, meanwhile in Africa they portrayed self- determination of nationalism in the 20th century; and independence from many European countries.