Term
| 1. Evidence for high level of Mayan civilization |
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Definition
They developed a writing system that was more sophisticated than others.
Invented the number 0
They built splendid temples and pyramids, were accomplished artists, and developed a sophisticated calendar as accurate as any in existence in the world at that time
They cleared the dense rain forests, developed farming, and built a patchwork of city-states
Civilization was composed of a series of city-states, each governed by a hereditary ruling class
Built a famous pyramid in Chichen Itza
Blood was very important in their religion |
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Term
| 2. Why didn’t Spanish and Mayans respect each other’s values? |
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Definition
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Term
| 3. Downfall of Mayan civilization in Yucatan |
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Definition
Suggestions for why it began to decline include invasion, internal revolt, or a natural disaster
Sometime around 800
Cities like Tikal and Palenque were abandoned and covered by dense jungle growth
Newer cities in the northern part of the peninsula like Uxmal and Chichen Itza survived and continued to prosper
Recent theory: When the soil’s fertility ran out, cities had to be abandoned |
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Term
| 4. Mexico’s “War of Reform” |
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Definition
In the Early 1800s, Napoleon’s wars hurt Spain, and allowed Latin American countries to become independent
Latin American “new” states chose republic as form of government
A division arose between liberals, who wished to restrict the political powers of the church, and conservatives, who hoped to maintain all of the church’s privileges.
The Catholic Church was very powerful, and owned a lot of land
After independence, church officials often took positions in the new government and wielded much influence
Catholic leaders said we use government money to provide hospitals, orphanages, and food for poor
Liberals won |
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Term
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Definition
19th century word for Latin American dictators
Strong leaders who ruled chiefly by military force and were usually supported by the landed elites |
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Term
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Definition
Many kept the new national states together
Some were modernizers who built roads and canals, ports, and schools |
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Term
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Definition
Santa Anna, who ruled Mexico, lost Texas
He misused state funds, halted reforms, and helped lose 1/3 of Mexico’s territory to the U.S.
Juan Manuel de Rosas, who led Argentina from 1829 to 1852 became very popular by favoring Argentine interests against foreigners
When a caudillo died or lost power, civil wars for control of country often erupted |
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Term
| Reasons for widespread poverty in Mexico |
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Definition
Almost all the land was owned by just a few super-rich latifundistas
The masses, unable to have land to grow basic food crops, experienced dire poverty |
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Term
| 7. Improvements in Mexico after 1870s |
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Definition
Based on the export of a few basic items, such as wheat and beef from Argentina, coffee from Brazil, coffee and bananas from Central America, and sugar and silver from Peru
They were exchanged for finished goods – textiles, machines, and luxury items – from Europe and the United States
Around 1900, beginnings of industry
When profits came, they went to lawyers, merchants, shopkeepers, teachers, and military officers |
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Term
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Definition
Ruled Mexico
Created a conservative government
Supported by the army, latifundistas (landowners), the Catholic Church, and foreign investors
All of these groups benefitted from the alliance
The real wages of workers declined
95% of the rural population owned no land, whereas about 1000 families owned almost all of Mexico |
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Term
| 2. Actions by Madero and Zapata (The Mexican Revolution) |
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Definition
Francesco Madero, a liberal landowner, forced Diaz from power
New government not getting enough change to help Mexico
The next wave was led by Zapata
Peasants were acting, and the goal was land reform
Zapata’s army called guerillas which means: not Mexico’s official army |
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Term
| 3. Mexican Constitution of 1917 |
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Definition
Created republic
Set up a strong presidency
Land reform stated as goal
Established limits on foreign investors’ ownership of Mexico’s resources and businesses
Set an agenda to help the workers |
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Term
| 4. U.S. businesses in 1920s Latin America |
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Definition
Large amounts of Latin American economy owned by U.S.
Central America (especially Nicaragua) huge amounts of land owned by U.S. company United Fruit – to raise bananas (banana republic)
If workers protested United Fruit policies, the U.S. sent the Marines to keep United Fruit in power
United Fruit also built railroads and harbors
In Chile, copper was being mined by 2 U.S. companies: Anaconda and Kennecott
Profits from U.S. businesses were often used to keep ruthless dictators in power |
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Term
| 5. “Good Neighbor” Policy |
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Definition
Announced in 1935 by FDR
Rejected the use of military force in Latin America
For the 1st time in 30 years, there were no U.S. troops in Latin American countries |
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Term
| 6. Effects of Great Depression on Latin American economies |
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Definition
| The economies were hurt because many Latin American exports such as coffee, sugar, and beef were things economically stressed people quit buying |
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Term
| 7. Effects of Depression on Latin American governments |
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Definition
The trend towards authoritarianism was increased in the 1930s
Domestic instability from economic crises led to military coups and the creation of military dictatorships
They were not totalitarian, but traditional authoritarian states |
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Term
| 1. PRI: What it was, how it was led |
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Definition
Industrial Revolutionary Party
Official political party of the Mexican Revolution; no rival parties
Every 6 years, party bosses of the PRI chose the party’s presidential candidate, who was then dutifully elected by the people |
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Term
| 2. Lazaro Cardenas as president of Mexico (1st part of EQ 1) |
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Definition
President from 1934-1940
Distributed 44 million acres of land to landless Mexican peasants, which made him very popular with them
Took a strong stand with the U.S. over oil, which Mexico had a lot of
After a dispute with the foreign oil companies, nationalized (seized control of) the oil fields and the property of the companies
They did eventually pay for the property that was taken, and then set up PEMEX, an national oil company, to run the oil industry
FDR refused to send Marines because of the Good Neighbor Policy
With profits from PEMEX, Cardenas built rural schools, piped water to remote villages, and sent teachers to help people learn better farming methods |
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Term
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Definition
Influenced by fresco painting in Italy
Sought to create a national art that would portray Mexico’s past and native traditions
Another purpose was to make the masses aware of the new Mexican political order
He didn’t want them to forget the Mexican Revolution
Wall paintings can be found in the Ministry of Education, the Chapel of Agriculture School at Chapingo, and the Social Security Hospital
To show significance of Mexican Revolutiuon the power of those few latifundista families was cut back |
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Term
4. Mexico’s economy
a) 1950s-late 1970s |
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Definition
In late 1970s, vast new reserves of oil were discovered in Mexico, and the sale of oil abroad increased, which made the government very dependent on oil reserves
By 1970s, Mexico was the fastest-growing economy in Latin America because of steady economy growth and wages were going up
Irrigation expanded
New industries: chemicals, steel, electrical appliances, and tourism
By 1970, 25% were in middle class |
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Term
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Definition
When world oil prices dropped in the 1980s, Mexico was no longer able to make payments on its foreign debt, which had reached $80 billion in 1982.
The government was forced to adopt a policy of privatization (sale of state companies to private companies)
In 1988, the PRI’s choice for president won the vote with only 50.3%
Big trouble (also for Texas) because of the drop in world price of oil
PEMEX can’t fund all its projects, which meant unemployment went up
Mexico went into debt (inflation) |
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Term
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Definition
A free trade agreement Mexico made with the U.S. and Canada
North American Free Trade Agreement
3 countries will not tax products coming in from other 2
Helps industry in Mexico
Hurts Mexico’s farm producers because they can’t compete with U.S. farm prices, since U.S. government gives subsidies to farm production |
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Term
| 1. What was the Cold War? |
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Definition
Mutual fear between Communist USSR and its allies, and Capitalist U.S. and its allies
The 2 superpowers each tried to win out over the other, but USSR and U.S. never fought each other directly. That’s why it’s called a “cold” war |
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Term
| 2. Cold War as an influence on U.S.’s Latin American policy |
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Definition
Fidel Castro led a revolution that established a Communist government in Cuba
U.S. feared spread of communism to other parts of Latin America
For Latin American countries that showed they were strongly opposed to communism, the U.S. contributed over 10 billion dollars total
Cuba began to send money and advisors to certain Latin American countries where guerrillas were trying to overthrow their government and set up communist states
U.S. strongly opposed spread of communism, and trained hundreds of thousands of Latin American military in the U.S. Goal: so they could defend against communist rebels
Until 1983, U.S. was involved only with money, advice, and training of Latin Americans in the U.S.
In 1983, Reagan sent an invasion force to the TINY Caribbean island of Grenada because their government was getting very friendly with Cuba
They overthrew the government of Grenada
Late in 1980s, all Communist governments in Europe (including USSR) were overthrown. That was the end of the Cold War |
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Term
| 3. Chile: Anaconda and Kennecott |
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Definition
These were 2 U.S. companies that owned Chile’s copper mines
Copper was 80% of Chile’s export economy |
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Term
5. Pinochet
a) How he came to power |
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Definition
| Had Allende overthrown with the power of the army |
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Term
5. Pinochet
b) How he ruled |
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Definition
Ruled as military dictator
Thousands were jailed with no trial
Thousands killed or “disappeared”
No other political parties allowed
No freedom of press
By 1983, economic troubles, 30% unemployment
For most of his rule, U.S. supported Pinochet because he was anti-Communist |
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Term
| 6. U.S. involvement in Chilean politics |
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Definition
| Moved Chilean politics to free presidential elections that led to the defeat of Pinochet |
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Term
| 4. Allende as president of Chile |
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Definition
| Elected with only 36% of the vote, which was completely legal, since no other party had more than 36% Allende was a revisionist Marxist Evidence: instead of making a revolution, he worked through a political party – the Socialist Party of Chile He recognized Chile’s need to get control of its own resources, in order to progress. Result: nationalized copper The U.S. companies complained to Nixon, who cut off all aid to Chile Allende started a program of land reform. Meanwhile, some in Chile were seizing land that had not been officially released Allende’s friendly relations with leaders of both Cuba and the USSR were horrifying to the U.S. Also, the fact the 1973 elections increased the number of Socialist Party of Chile in the government |
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Term
| 2. National Days of Protest |
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Definition
Decided that the day would be a “slow down” protest
Drive and walk slowly
Pinochet let police beat people
Stay away from work
No shopping
On the slow day, the government said 17 were killed, but it was actually 80 |
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Term
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Definition
A vote that would allow the people of Chile to vote “SI” or “NO” to 8 more years of Pinochet rule.
Pinochet was ignorant of the feelings of the towns people, so he figured he would win
The campaign’s purpose was to convince people to vote no
As things threatened to turn violent, there came the “NO” campaign |
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Term
| 4. Results of 1988 campaign in Chile |
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Definition
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Term
| 1. Central America: the economy |
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Definition
Too dependent on export of bananas, coffee, and cotton
World price of these dropped
A few were very rich, and everybody else was very poor |
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Term
2. El Salvador
a) Duarte and the Christian Democratic Party |
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Definition
Very moderate; preferred by middle class
Recognized need for reform
Duarte and Christian Democratic Party started land reform |
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Term
2. El Salvador
b) The civil war and U.S. involvement |
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Definition
Major guerrilla war
Duarte was attacked for not doing enough to help poor
U.S. helped Duarte (money, weapons – no troops) |
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Term
3. Nicaragua
a) Who was Sandino?
STUDY HANDOUT |
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Definition
Led guerilla raids in the 1920s against United Fruit offices and U.S. Marine bases
Leader of Sandinista rebellion |
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Term
3. Nicaragua
b) Somoza family as rulers
STUDY HANDOUT |
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Definition
Somoza overthrew the government in a military coup in 1937
Was corrupt and ruthless
Family ruled for 43 years
Made millions at expense of the state |
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Term
3. Nicaragua
c) Sandinista rebellion
STUDY HANDOUT |
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Definition
Formed a guerrilla army
Took their name from Sandino
They were backed by Cuba, Mexico, and Costa Rica
Succeeded in overthrowing the Somoza government |
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Term
3. Nicaragua
d) Sandinista government and Daniel Ortega
STUDY HANDOUT |
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Definition
Major land reform; about half of the rich people’s land was redistributed
Had a big literacy program
Limits on freedom of political parties and press
Economy didn’t improve
Miskito Indians were removed from their tribal lands
Middle and upper classes opposed Ortega
U.S. actions hurt them when they cut off trade and aid
Even worse, U.S. decision to help the Contras |
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Term
| 4. The Contra war in Nicaragua |
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Definition
In Spanish, “contra” means “against”
They were fighting to overthrow the Sandinista government
The U.S. sent aid but not troops
They sent the CIA
CIA mined a major port on the west coast
These mines were illegal, since the U.S. was not in a war with Nicaragua |
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Term
| READ BONUS PASSAGE ON CINCO DE MAYO IN SYLLABUS BOOK PG. 42 |
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Definition
| READ BONUS PASSAGE ON CINCO DE MAYO IN SYLLABUS BOOK PG. 42 |
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Term
| 5. Why U.S. cut off aid to the Contras |
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Definition
Fear the war could develop into another Vietnam
Anger at the CIA, which had done illegal things
Shock at the brutality of the Contras |
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Term
| 6. End of Nicaragua’s Contra War |
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Definition
U.S. Congress voted to cut off aid to the Contras
Cuba cut off aid to the Sandinista government, because the USSR, the source of Cuba’s funds, was falling apart |
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Term
| 7. 1990 election in Nicaragua |
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Definition
Ortega lost
Violeta Chamorro was elected as Nicaragua’s president
She promised honesty in government and reduction of the military |
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