Latin
America
By Matt Maldonado
Political: In the regions controlled by the Spanish, the government was headed by a viceroyalty appointed by the Spanish king himself. He was the head figure in the capital. The Spanish crown used a system called encomienda, which granted settlers a particular number of natives from which they were required labor, gold, or agricultural produce. In return the natives were given “protection” and insight on the Christian faith. This system was exploitative and not far from slavery. It would later be replaced by the hacienda system, in which owners of large estates directly employed native workers. The peons who worked these lands enjoyed little control over their lives due to the their low wages, high taxes, and large debts.
By Matt Maldonado
Political: In the regions controlled by the Spanish, the government was headed by a viceroyalty appointed by the Spanish king himself. He was the head figure in the capital. The Spanish crown used a system called encomienda, which granted settlers a particular number of natives from which they were required labor, gold, or agricultural produce. In return the natives were given “protection” and insight on the Christian faith. This system was exploitative and not far from slavery. It would later be replaced by the hacienda system, in which owners of large estates directly employed native workers. The peons who worked these lands enjoyed little control over their lives due to the their low wages, high taxes, and large debts.
Economy: The economic foundation of Spanish colonial
rule was fundamentally s system of rural estates worked by natives. They
labored for gold and agricultural products in exchange for “protection” and Christianity.
This system was little more than slavery and opened the door for discrimination
of the natives in the future. The product that drove the economy in colonial Latin
America was silver. It would be mined at sites such as the Potosi mine in
modern day Bolivia. It would then be transported to port cities along the
Mexican pacific coast. Lastly it would be taken to the Philippines and used to
buy products in China. In Portuguese controlled Brazil the main agricultural
product was sugar cane. Huge plantations were erected and run by slaves to
satisfy Europe’s sweet tooth.
Religion: The main religion of Latin America was by
far Roman Catholicism. Spain and Portugal had both recently fought for their
independence from North African Muslims when Columbus hit the Americas. This gave
the Catholic Church a considerably powerful position in their respective
governments. Religion also became a leverage tool in the colonial’s usage of
the native population for their labor force. In Brazil, Jesuit missionaries
accompanied explorers to their new colony. They used Catholicism to justify
their conquests.
Social: The social makeup of Latin America was very
complicated compared to others around the world. Much of this was due to their
use of slavery. Slavery in the Americas took an old world concept and added a
modern twist. For centuries, slaves would be taken from weak states to serve
strong states. The Spanish and Portuguese specifically took black Africans because
they possessed immunities to European diseases and were relatively used to the
harsh weather condition in the Americas. This was the first time race had ever
been associated with slavery. A social order grew made up of class and gender
hierarchy. There were the Spanish people born in the Americas (creoles), the Spanish
folk born in Europe (peninsulares), then there were the mestizos (half white
half native), the mulatto (half white half black) and finally the blacks. This made
for a vast social hierarchy with levels corresponding to a person’s degree of
blackness.
Innovation: By far the greatest innovation the Latin
America bestowed on the world was the Columbian exchange. Exchange that encompassed
the entire world had never been seen until then. Grapes, olives, sugar cane,
coffee beans, diseases, and new technologies all came from Europe to the
Americas. Potatoes, corn, beans, tobacco, and vanilla all went from the
Americas to Europe. And on top of all that African slaves were brought over to
help produce and harvest the goods going to Europe. Trade had finally become global.
Arts: One of the greatest influences that came to Latin
America that effected art and music was that of Africa. African language and
customs came to America, mainly Brazil and the Caribbean, and mixed with the
native and European culture. This can be seen today in Brazil’s musical samba
and in Haitian voodoo, which is basically a mixture of African religions and Roman
Catholicism.
Near geographic: Due to the vast and difficult to
reach inland areas of Latin America, most major cities were located on the
coasts of the continent. Some examples are Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos
Aires, and Sao Paolo. The conquerors inability to go inland allowed some native
populations to survive.
http://www.glogster.com/edelucia/columbian-exchange/g-6lvgnk38ie6timf0a65m3a0
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nattrans/ntecoindian/essays/columbian.html
http://miracleinsider.blogspot.com/2011/10/study-guide-hacienda-system-and-mexican.html
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/race.html
https://www.lib.umn.edu/bell/tradeproducts/sugar
http://socialhistory.org/en/today/04-10/potosi-silver-mines
http://www.bellavistaranch.net/genealogy/casta.html
Ways of the World by Robert W. Strayer
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nattrans/ntecoindian/essays/columbian.html
http://miracleinsider.blogspot.com/2011/10/study-guide-hacienda-system-and-mexican.html
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/race.html
https://www.lib.umn.edu/bell/tradeproducts/sugar
http://socialhistory.org/en/today/04-10/potosi-silver-mines
http://www.bellavistaranch.net/genealogy/casta.html
Ways of the World by Robert W. Strayer