Name _______________________________
Chapter 25 Reading Guide
The Consolidation of Latin America, 1830-1920
1. Why is Maximilian I a tragic figure?
He was a well meaning leader (wanted to introduce reforms) of Mexico-despite this he was
rejected by the people because he was a foreigner (Austrian duke).
2. What are some of the obstacles that Latin American countries faced after their independence
in the early 19th century?
-Deep divisions over form of government, type of society, role of religion, and nature of
economies
-foreign threat from old colonial powers, new imperialist regimes and neighbors
3. What 18th century idea had been the backbone of a host of revolutions? Why?
Ideas from the Western Enlightenment. These include: belief in virtue of progress, reform,
representational and constitutional government and private property rights
FROM COLONIES TO NATIONS
CAUSES OF POLITCAL CHANGE
4. Describe the 4 external political events that caused political change in Latin America.
1. American Revolution 1776-1783—model for how colonies could break from mother country
2. French Revolution 1789—produced great interest to sections of populace but Creole elites
rejected
3. Haitian Revolution 1790s-1804—whites and free colored people divide colony, slaves rebel
under Toussaint L’Overture-showed elites model to be avoided
4. Aftermath of French Rev.—long guerilla war during which junta central ruled in Spanish
king’s name, causing confusion about who was legitimate
SPANISH AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLES
5. Why might Creoles fear social rebellion more than they desired independence?
Revolution could lead to revolt in the lower classes, resulting in class warfare. It had the
potential to take leadership away from elites in the countries who wanted to separate.
6. Whom did the Central American states try to form a union with from 1824-1838
The Mexican Empire under Iturbide. They were able to gain independence from Spain with
Creole cooperation. The empire collapsed and became a republic
7. Why were Venezuela and Argentina able to gain independence sooner than Peru?
They were able to win freedom because they had been colonized first and therefore were more
developed than other Latin American countries.
8. Who was Simon Bolivar and what was his goal?
He was a Creole Officer in S. America who tried to win independence from Spain. His goal was
to unite Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia into one country—Gran Colombia.
9. The loss in power of the two European nations of _________Spain___________ and
_____Portugal____ enabled many countries in South America to gain independence.
BRAZILIAN INDEPENDANCE
10. Explain the quote, “Men established in goods and property were unwilling to risk political
change.”
Planters, merchants and miners wanted more open trade and fewer taxes but they were afraid
that upsetting the current political system would result in the revolt of the lower classes. They
felt it was not worth the risk
11. How was Brazil (Portugal) different in its independence from all of the Spanish colonies?
He was a Portuguese king who lived in Brazil. He transformed Rio de Janeiro into an imperial
city. He refused to return to Portugal and established a constitutional monarchy in Brazil.
NEW NATIONS CONFRONT OLD AND NEW PROBLEMS
12. As independence was achieved in the former colonies what were the goals and wishes of the
people?
-Representative government, careers open to those with the skills necessary, open trade, right
to private property and society based on the individual
-sovereign and independent states that would eventually be economically viable and ruled by
law
13. Explain the problems with the notion of “freedom of religion” in these colonies.
Roman Catholicism had been the state religion so all other faiths were excluded. Most leaders
attempted to maintain this religion and defense of the church became a rallying cry for
conservatives.
14. How did these colonies deal with the issue of voting in their new nations?
Property and literacy restrictions were imposed because the elites feared the mass population
was not prepared for democracy. Women were not allowed to vote.
POLITICAL FRAGMENTATION
15. Why was a grand scale union so difficult in S. America?
Geographic barriers and great distances separated nations, making it difficult to unify. Also,
regional interests and political divisions prevented unification.
CAUDILLOS, POLITICS AND THE CHURCH
16. What are the negatives consequences of revolt that make it difficult to recover after seizing
power?
-mobilization of large armies depended on soldiers being loyal to regional commanders this
caused armies to make and unmake governments.
-devastated economies
-political divisions
17. Explain the importance of caudillos.
They were independent leaders who dominated local areas by force. They could mobilize parts
of society and they defended the interests of regional elites.
CONFRONTING THE HISPANIC HERITAGE: INDEPENDENCE TO CONSOLIDATION
18. According to Bolivar why were his people in the colonies behind.
-separated by broad seas
-hindered by strict restrictions imposed by Spain
-politically nonexistent
-lacking arts and sciences
BACK TO MAIN TEXT
19. Describe the church’s role in independence.
The church divided conservations from more secular liberals which led to the formations of
political parties. This resulted in political turmoil and insecurity.
LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIES AND WORLD MARKETS, 1820-1870
20. How would dependence on exports create colonial ties?
-some nations found new markets for their exports (ie foreign markets) on which they became
heavily dependent
-also became dependent on foreign imports
21. Detail the importance of the Monroe Doctrine.
-stated that any attempt by a European Power to colonize in America would be considered an
unfriendly act by the US
-US could not have done much at the time but this doctrine supported Latin America
independence along with the British who had the sea power to help maintain that
independence
22. Why would Britain push for Latin American independence (why did they care?)
It gave them broad economic and commercial advantages. Also, in exchange for diplomatic
recognition, the British had the freedom to trade with the new nations. This had previously
been restricted by Spain and Portugal.
23. Why would the slogan “Buy Local” have made a great impact on former colonies in Latin America?
-open ports and influx of foreign goods hurt local industries that specialized in producing for internal
markets
-if Latin Americans did buy local, the British may not have been so interested in maintaining Latin
American independence and they have been colonized again.
MID-CENTURY STAGNATION
24. Why did a great number of Latin American colonies change after 1850?
The expansion of the European economy created new demands for Latin American products (coffee,
hides/beef, minerals and grains)
25. Explain how Guano helped to end slavery
Peru exported guano which generated a large income and allowed the government to end American
Indian tribute and to abolish slavery by compensating the owners.
26. Why would peasants be afraid of change and want conservatives to rule?
-afraid of losing what they already had
-would rather work the land than in industries
-faith in the church
-did not know much about commerce or trade so they would not be useful to elites anyway
ECONOMIC RESURGENCE AND LIBERAL POLITICS
27. Explain the concept of “ideas out of place”
-intensive application of foreign models to very different realities
-leaders of post-1860 revolutions believed in progress, education, free markets and secular society-somet
thought they were too eager for change
-economic prosperity led to general belief in advantages of liberal programs
28. What were some of the negative effects of new economic growth.
-landowners increased their holdings as well as their influence over government
-peasant lands were exploited, small farmers displaced, church lands seized
-labor demandsimmigrants from Europe arrive, new forms of disguised servitude develop
MEXICO: INSTABILITY AND FOREIGN INTERVENTION
29. What major issues did the Mexican constitution not address?
Social problems: uneven distribution of wealth, education problems, high poverty rate, status of Indians
30. Explain why the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was so disastrous for Mexico.
Signed in 1848, the treaty gave half of Mexico’s territory to the US as a result of the Mexican-American
war
31. By 1910 how had nearly all of Mexico’s rural population become landless?
‘La Reforma’, the liberal revolt, led to the government forcing the sale of church property and Indian
communal lands. The hope was that the land would go to the Indians creating a nation of small
independent farmers but big landowners took the land instead, so the Indians lost what they had.
ARGENTINA: THE PORT OF A NATION
32. Explain the success of Argentina and why.
After considerable fighting, Argentina emerged as a unified republic and experienced a period of
economic prosperity and growth under liberal presidents. The combination of able and intelligent
leaders, political stability and expansion of the economy made it successful.
THE BRAZILIAN EMPIRE
33. What were fazendas and why were they crucial for Brazil?
Fazendas were coffee estates that provided a new basis for agricultural expansion. Coffee made up more
than 40% of Brazil’s exports in 1840. This led to the intensification of slavery.
34. Why did Brazil become a beacon for immigrants?
Immigrants were attracted by the government’s propaganda, the plentiful jobs on the coffee estates and
lessened dependence on slavery.
35. To a cynic what occurred between 1850-70 that helped Brazil end slavery?
Immigrants—planters turned increasingly to immigrants for labor.
36. Explain positivism:
Modernizing philosophy that attempted to bring about material progress by applying scientific principles
to government and society.
SOCIETY IN SEARCH OF THEMSELVES
CULTURAL EXPRESSION AFTER INDEPENDANCE
37. How was Romanticism demonstrated in Latin American cultures after independence?
-poems that use American Indian as symbol of Brazil and America
-novels sympathetic to slaves
-historical themes and the writing of history became political because studying the past became a way of
organizing the presnet
OLD PATTERNS OF GENDER, CLASS AND RACE
38. What was the role and treatment of women in this time period?
After independence there was basically no change in attitude towards women. They were still expected
to be primarily wives and mothers.
39. What profession offered women the best opportunities?
Teaching at the primary level—teacher training schools gave women access to advanced education.
Educated women grew dissatisfied with legal and social constraints on their lives and began to advocate
women’s rights.
40. How was race a barrier even after the colonial caste systems were outlawed?
-caste system only legally ended: in reality much of the system was still practiced
-skin color and former slave status restricted advancement
-indigenous people continued to labor under poor conditions
EXPLAINING UNDERDEVELOPMENT
41. How did Marxism struggle with Latin America?
-could not decide whether Latin American societies were essentially feudal and needed first to become
capitalist or whether they were already capitalist and were ready for socialist revolution.
42. Explain the idea of modernization:
-development is a matter of increasing per capita production, as development took place various kinds of
social changes would follow
-better technology, communication, distribution of material goodsindustrialization,
urbanizationsocial improvements
43. What did the critics of the modernization theory point out?
-disregard cultural differences, internal class conflicts, struggle for power within nations
-each nation doesn’t operate individually but is a part of a world system that keeps some areas
‘developed’ at the expense of others
44. Do you agree with the basic tenants of dependency theory? Why?
THE GREAT BOOM, 1880-1920
45. List four Latin American countries and what their main export is.
1. Cuba-tobacco
2. Argentina-wool, beef and wheat
3. Brazil-rubber and coffee
4. Mexico-henequen, copper and silver
46. Explain two major issues / problems that arise from export economies.
-vulnerable and dependent –world market prices of Latin American goods were determined by
conditions outside
-rivalry, hostility, even war—external control of nitrates lead to war of Pacific between Chile, Peru and
Bolivia
47. How did foreign investment stifle the economic independence of Latin America?
-place key industries, transportation facilities, and services in foreign hands
-constrain Latin American governments in their social, commercial and diplomatic policies
MEXICO AND ARGENTIA: EXAMPLES OF ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
48. While Mexico’s economy grew who suffered and why?
-peasantry and urban working class—few immigrants and participated in very little in prosperity of
export led growth
-caused unrestleads to Mexican Revolution (10 year civil war)
49. How did the Tango originate?
-from cultural fusion that occurred due to flood of immigrants, combination of workers began to seek
political expressionviolent strikes and government repression
UNCLE SAM GOES SOUTH
50. Explain how the Spanish American war opened the door to U.S involvement in the Caribbean.
-a US government occupation was improvised on Cuba and Puerto Rico (lost Spanish colonies in
America)
-Cuba made dependent—US and Puerto Rico legally made into American dependency
51. How did the U.S come to control the Panama Canal?
-US backed a Panamian movement for independence and sighed treaty that granted US control over the
canal
-Panama Canal symbolized technological and industrial strength of US
-Latin America criticized American ways of contrasting spirituality of Hispanic culture (Catholicism)
with materialism of US