Latin America Past Present The Maya Central America

Latin America Past & Present

The Maya • Central America • Tikal – city in modern Guatemala • Pyramid shaped temples • Written language

The Maya … continued… Pictures of Ball courts • Skilled in mathematics • Developed concept of zero • Calendar – based on orbit of the earth & sun (365 ¼ day calendar) • Invented game that is a cross between basketball & soccer

Aztecs • Capital of Tenochtitlan on an island in the middle of a lake (modern day Mexico City is built on top) • Advanced farming – Chinampas – floating artificial islands built on large rafts covered with mud.

Aztecs • Complex political system with an emperor • Worshipped many gods & goddesses ceremonies with prisoner sacrifices • Hernan Cortes – conquistador from Spain, conquered the Aztecs

The Incas • People of the Andes Mountains • Capital is Cuzco in Peru • Political system with an emperor • Terrace farming – cut into the side of mountains • Domesticated the alpaca & llama

The Incas • Quipu = a rope with knotted cords of various lengths and colors, used to keep records and send messages • Machu Picchu – “Lost city of the Inca”

The Incas • Did not have a written language; however their language of Quechua survives to this day.

Spanish Conquistadors

Hernan Cortes & the Spanish Conquest of Mexico • Conquered the Aztecs • Spanish conquest: 15191521 • Last Aztec Emperor: Montezuma II • Built Mexico City on top of Tenochtitlan

Pizarro & the Conquest of the Incas • Conquest of the Inca Empire: 1531 -1533 • Last Inca Emperor: Atahualpa • Spanish used horses, guns, & swords

Culture Changing Events • Columbian Exchange: Movement of people, plants, and animals. • New crops came to the Americas as well as Europe. • Horse: Allowed Native Americans to hunt over large areas

African Slavery • Direct result of the Columbian Exchange • Sugarcane farming • Saint Domingue: the wealthiest colony in the Americas

Haitian Revolution • Toussaint L’Ouverture • Fought against the French • Haitian Revolution sparked other independence movements in Latin America • Independence from European powers ended slavery

South American Independence • Simon Bolivar • George Washington of South America • Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Venezuela gained independence • Led to rule by the oligarchy and military juntas

Mexican Independence • Miguel Hidalgo • Mexican independence from Spain • Mexico gains independence after 300 years of Spanish rule.

Latin America Today • Federal, presidential democracies; with the exception of Cuba. • Fidel Castro created a communist dictatorship after taking over in 1959.

U. S. Relationship with Cuba • One time trade partners: U. S. has had an embargo on Cuba since the 1960’s • Cuban Missile Crisis: Cuba gives the Soviet Union permission to build nuclear weapons in Cuba