History of Latin America

A Brief History of Latin America

CLEAR Model Lessons Š2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02 - 3

Native Populations – Latin America Maya – 250 – 900 CE/AD Inca – 1300 – 1500 CE/AD

Olmec 1200 – 400 BCE/BC Aztec 1300 – 1500 CE/AD

Source: Our World Today adopted text used with permission of Glencoe/McGraw-Hill CLEAR Model Lessons ©2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Maya 250 – 900 CE/AD 

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Built urban centers with large buildings and temples in the Yucután Peninsula and in present day Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Developed a 365 day calendar and wrote using hieroglyphics.

The Mayan cities of Tikal and Chichén Itzá are tourist attractions today.

Graphics Source: Our World Today adopted text used with permission of Glencoe/McGraw-Hill CLEAR Model Lessons ©2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Mayan Temple at Chichén Itzá

Graphics Source: Our World Today adopted text used with permission of Glencoe/McGraw-Hill CLEAR Model Lessons ©2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Aztec 1300 - 1500 CE/AD 

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Ruled an empire that stretched from central Mexico through parts of Central America.

Tenochtitlán, present day Mexico City was the capital and had over four million inhabitants.

The Aztec had postal and road systems, a powerful army, libraries, temples, a tax system (based on maize), and extensive trade networks.

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Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Aztecs

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Graphics Source: Library of Congress 1492: An Ongoing Voyage and The Aztecs at http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/aztecs.htm

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Exploration and Conquest in Latin America The voyages of Christopher Columbus created a turning point for Latin American history and began the period of European exploration and colonization of the Americas.

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Graphics Source: Library of Congress 1492: An Ongoing Voyage

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Exploration and Conquest in Latin America Spanish and Portuguese explorers came for God (the Catholic Church); Gold (Riches for themselves and their country); and Glory (fame and power for themselves and their country) CLEAR Model Lessons Š2003 Houston Independent School District

Graphics Source: Library of Congress 1492: An Ongoing Voyage

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Exploration and Conquest in Latin America By the mid-1500s, Spanish Conquistadors defeated native populations 

Hernán Cortez is remembered for his Conquest of the Aztecs in Mexico

Graphics Source: The Aztecs at http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/aztecs.htm

CLEAR Model Lessons ©2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Colonization and Imperialism in Latin America New crops and foods, gold, and silver went to Europe from the Americas, while European goods including farm animals, new crops, and disease came to the Americas. This is called the Columbian Exchange and is a turning point in the diffusion of materials and ideas between cultural worlds.

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Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Columbian Exchange

Graphics Source: Our World Today adopted text used with permission of Glencoe/McGraw-Hill

CLEAR Model Lessons Š2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Colonization and Imperialism in Latin America Spain controlled an Empire in the Americas that spread from the SW United States to Argentina.

European imperial power in the Americas: 

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spread European ideas, Spanish language, culture; and religion. built cities modeled after ones in Europe.

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Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Europeans in the Americas ď Ź

By the 1700s Spain, France, and England all owned vast land in the Americas

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Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Revolutions against Imperialism and Colonial Rule 

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Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821 and established a constitutional monarchy which later became a dictatorship under Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Simon Bolivar led S.America to gain independence from Spain by revolting.

Brazil gained independence through negotiation.

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Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Growth and Development of Nations in Latin America As nations won independence they began their own process of growth and development – both political and economic.

By the late 1830’s central America split into separate nations of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras.

In the 1840s Mexico also lost parts of the more land to the United States after the Mexican War.

CLEAR Model Lessons ©2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Growth and Development of Nations in Latin America Many Latin American governments were ruled by a few people (oligarchy) or by military dictators (caudillo), although most now have democratic elections. In Cuba, Fidel Castro is still a Communist dictator and strong leader after over 40 years of powerful rule since the late 1950s.

CLEAR Model Lessons Š2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3

Growth and Development of Nations in Latin America ď Ź

Problems include urban growth, economic diversity, unemployment, resource development, education, and stable governments.

CLEAR Model Lessons Š2003 Houston Independent School District

Grade 6 Social Studies B.09.02-3