Answer key for the study guide: History of Latin America and the Caribbean
SS6H1a
1. The area of Latin America and the Caribbean the Aztecs lived was central Mexico.
2. The area of Latin America and the Caribbean the Incas lived was farther south than
Mexico in modern-day Peru. Their empire extended as far as Ecuador, parts of Chile,
and the western edge of the Amazon Basin.
3. The Aztec Empire built pyramids, houses, temples, and other magnificent buildings.
They also built aqueducts that provided the city with fresh running water. The Aztecs
conquered other Native Americans. A king ruled over the whole empire. The king
allowed local rulers in the outlying regions to keep much of their power, so long as they
remained loyal to the empire.
4. The Incas built roads that allowed traders and troops to move quickly through the Andes
Mountains. In rural areas, where most Incans relied on agriculture, the Incas built
irrigation systems that provided needed water.
5. The Spanish conquistadors wanted colonies for several reasons. For one, they wanted
as much wealth as possible. They wanted the gold and other resources that the
Americas offered. Secondly, many Europeans wanted glory. They wanted the fame,
rewards, and praise that awaited them back home after conquering new territories.
Many also wanted glory for the countries they represented. Third, they often wanted to
Christianize native peoples. As a Catholic nation, Spain felt it could strengthen its
control over its colonies if Native Americans converted to Catholicism.
6. The two main Spanish Conquistadors of the Aztec and Inca were Hernan Cortes and
Francisco Pizarro.
7. Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztecs.
8. Francisco Pizarro conquered the Incas.
9. Two ways the Aztecs and the Incas were conquered were by diseases that the natives
did not have immunity to, such as smallpox. The Aztecs and Incas were also conquered
by the advanced weapons of the Europeans.
10. The consequences of the encounter between the Spanish and the Aztecs/Incas were
that their empires were conquered and destroyed. Both the Aztecs and the Incas were
forced into slavery and their natural resources were controlled by the Spanish.
SS6H1b
1. The Columbian Exchange was the trade that occurred between the Americas and
Europe. Europeans who explored or settled in the New World shipped raw materials
back to Europe. Manufacturers in Europe then shipped finished goods back to the
Americas.
2. The two ways the Indigenous population declined as a result of the Columbian Exchange
were by diseases that the natives did not have immunity to, such as smallpox. The
Aztecs and Incas were also conquered by the advanced weapons of the Europeans.
3. The type of agricultural change that took place as a result of the Columbian Exchange
were fruits/vegetables not known to the Europeans were shared by the Native
Americans. Fruits/vegetables and other crops not known to the Native Americans were
shared by the Europeans. Examples from the Native Americans included: Potatoes,
Corn, and Casaba, Tobacco, Vanilla, and Cocoa. Examples from the Europeans included:
Wheat, Rice, Oranges, Bananas, Apples, and Coffee.
4. The introduction of the horse changed how the Native Americans lived, and how they
conducted war.
SS6H2a
1. Slavery is a practice where people are considered pieces of property and are used for
forced labor. Many slaves were taken from the continent of Africa, while others were
born into slavery.
2. The triangular trade impacted the way the Americas were developed when Europeans
began buying slaves from African traders and shipping them overseas to colonies in the
Americas. Colonial plantations thrived due to the slave trade. Plantation owners used
slaves to provide free labor. The plantations provided Europe with products people
demanded, such as sugar, rice, tobacco, and cotton. Slave labor became an important
part of the colonial society.
SS6H2b
1. The European country that had the biggest impact on Latin America and the Caribbean
was Spain.
2. The two languages that are most commonly spoken in Latin America and the Caribbean
are Spanish and Portuguese.
3. The religion that Europeans brought to Latin America and the Caribbean was Christianity
in the form of Catholicism.
SS6H2c
1. Independence is defined as freedom from the control of others.
2. The three most important facts about Toussaint L’ Ouverture are: That he was a gifted
and educated slave in the French Caribbean colony of Saint Dominique who was a
leader. He declared himself ruler of the region and freed all the slaves. Because of
Toussaint L’Ouverture his followers continued to fight and established a new country of
Haiti.
3. The three most important facts about Simon Bolivar are: That he liberated Venezuela,
Colombia, and Ecuador. He helped drive the Spanish out of South America. The country
of Bolivar is named after Simon Bolivar.
4. The three most important facts about Miguel Hidalgo are: He was a Catholic priest who
rang the church bell in the tiny town of Dolores. He issued a call to arms and formed a
rebel army. Hidalgo was killed before he could see independence for Mexico. Hidalgo
remains a national hero of Mexico.
5. These three men fought for independence for Latin America and the Caribbean by
standing up for what they believed in and leading people to support their cause.
SS6H3a
1. Revolution is an overthrow of a government system.
2. The leader of the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s was Fidel Castro.
3. The people of Cuba allowed Fidel Castro to take over because he was replacing a corrupt
leader (Fulgencio Batista) and made promises to the people of Cuba, which led to the
people to put their hope and trust in Fidel Castro.
4. If Cuban citizens spoke out against Fidel Castro they would either be thrown in prison or
killed by a firing squad.
5. Cuba formed an alliance with the Soviet Union and to this day Communism has been in
place for Cuba’s government system.
6. The Communist government owns most of the property in Cuba.
7. The United States has an embargo on Cuba, meaning they refuse to trade with Cuba.
SS6H3b
1. The Zapatistas are a group of Mexicans who support improved rights and living
conditions for Mexico’s indigenous people.
2. The Zapatistas live in Mexico in the state of Chiapas.
3. The Zapatistas are against NAFTA because they think that NAFTA would allow cheap
farm goods to come into Mexico from the United States. The Zapatistas argue that the
indigenous people of Mexico need more help to improve health care, housing,
education, and jobs.