Establishing Independence

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Establishing Independence

• Latin America

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Mexico

• Hernan Cortes was the leader of the Spanish army
  who first landed on the shores of Mexico
• With 500 soldiers, he claimed the land for Spain
  in 1519
• Unfortunately, the land was already being ruled
  by Montezuma II

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Montezuma II

• Montezuma welcomed Cortes with gifts
• Many Aztecs wanted to be free of Montezuma so
  they helped Cortes
• Cortes took Montezuma prisoner and took over the
  empire
• Fighting broke out and Montezuma was killed
• Spanish had an advantage because they had
  stronger weapons also invisible weapon
  diseases like smallpox

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New Spain

• The Spanish called their new empire New Spain
• Established Mexico City as their capital where
  Tenochitlan had stood
• Introduced a new way of life
• Animals horses, cattle, and sheep
• Trades ironsmithing and shipbuilding
• Religion - Christianity

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Culture

• Catholic church was very strong natives
  accepted Christianity willingly or sometimes
  against their will
• Some culture remained like native foods
• Classes were established
• Peninsulares ruling class, officials born in
  Spain
• Criollos born in Mexico but parents were born
  in Spain
• Mestizo person who is of Spanish and Native
  American ancestry
• Enslaved Africans
• Native Americans

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Independence from Spain

• 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo gave an important
  speech urging Mexicans to overthrow Spanish rule
• A small army of Native Americans and mestizos
  marched with him to Mexico City
• They had few weapons and were
• defeated, Hidalgo was captured and
• killed but the revolution continued
• Struggle lasted for 11 years but in
• 1821, they finally defeated the
• Spanish

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Central America and the Caribbean

• 1492 Columbus discovered the West Indies
• Many Native Americans died from disease, harsh
  labor conditions, or fighting
• Most died off within a few years
• Began bringing slaves from Africa
• As a result, many people are mulattos, mix of
  African and European ancestry

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Independence

• Spain, French, Dutch, and English had colonies in
  the West Indies
• A colony is different from a dependency because a
  dependency can break off at any time
• Looking for gold
• Found gold as well as sugar - formed sugar
  plantations worked by slaves
• St. Domingue (Haiti) was first to gain
  independence but Guatemala,
• Honduras, Costa Rica, and
• Nicaragua followed

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South America

• Francisco Pizarro landed in Peru in 1531
• Pizarro quickly captured and executed the Inca
  leader, Atahualpa and the empire fell under
  Spanish control
• Portugal had claimed what is now Brazil
• Settled along the coast since dense rain forests
  prevented exploration

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• Spanish and Portuguese made their way through
  South America
• Many Native Americans died or were enslaved and
  Europeans imported African slaves to work on
  sugar plantations
• Both countries, especially Spain, grew very rich
  from these colonies

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Independence

• People of Spanish or Portuguese descent born in
  S. America wanted to share the wealth
• Inspired by American Revolution in 1776 and
  French Revolution in 1789
• Mestizo and mulattos wanted change also
• Simon Bolivar led the fight in northern S.
  America
• Jose de San Martin defeated Spanish forces in the
  South
• By 1825, nearly all of Spanish S. America was
  independent

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• Brazil gained its independence from Portugal
  without a major war
• Chose a Portuguese prince as their ruler and he
  agreed to their freedom