History of Latin America | Assignment

Latin America
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author note

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Questions:
1. Describe the sequence of events from Chapters 1-4 that led up to the independence
movements throughout Latin America? From Chapters 1-4, contrast the rebellions and wars
of independence from at least three different Latin American Countries and at least two
European countries. Discuss any similarities and differences in detail, with examples and key
terms from your book. Did some (if any) of the independence movements challenge the
colonial conception of racial hierarchy?
Answer: The cultural scenario of the country was marked by its racial differences.
Post-world war II scenario experienced a quest for modernization of the existing societal
structure and the development could have been achieved following the footsteps adopted by a
large number of countries. The cultural shock as well as the changes in the intellectual
domain experienced the changes in the thinking (Chasteen,p.3 ).
The history of Latin America is marked by conquest by the colonizers prom Spain and
Portugal however; such human conquest was looked upon by the people of Latin America as
the result of their original sins. The invaders were prompted by the privileged inhabitants
from their individual society to spread the virtues of ‘religious righteousness’ in the native
land. As a result, the idea of conquest can be marked in the incidents noted in the locations
like Argentina and Mexico. The year of 1500 experienced the arrival of the Portuguese for
the first time in the coast of Brazil. Brazil had not much to offer to the colonizers in
compared to the riches they acquired from India. However, the view of Caminha about the
cost of Brazil represented the description of the Garden of Eden as mentioned the Holy
Scriptures. However, the potentiality about Brazil was imbedded in the ability to exploit the
Brazilwood by extracting the dyes out of it. Their claim on the land was thus experienced in
their religious expansion as they sought to spread Christianity in the native land. For over
three hundred years the ideals of Christianity enforced the colonialism over the Latin
America. The revolutionaries from Latin America followed the structure of the revolutions in
France as well as in America to attain their independence. The movement towards attaining

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independence no sooner got constructed around the rebellion against slavery as well as the
ones against colonialism (Chasteen,p.12).
The revolutions in Latin America was followed by the revolution of France and
America. The slave colony of Haiti followed the US during the revolution to attain their
independence (McPherson). The dispute over the legitimacy of Spain in political sphere
resulted in the creation of the complexities in their colonies as well. The areas of Mexico and
Peru was a stronghold of the Spanish power and a result involved time in attaining their
independence. The islands of Puerto Rico and the Cuba continued to be in their status of
Spanish Colonies until 1898. It was at the time when the rule of monarch of Portugal was
shifted to the Brazil (Chasteen,p. 115).
The movements in the Bolivia, Mexico, Ecuador and Guatemala resulted in the
countries of Latin America brining about reforms in the areas concerned with ethnic
diversity. Nation constitution was being amended in order to recognize the indigenous
people. Colonial era had experienced the reinforcement of the prejudices related to racial
inferiority superimposed by the prejudices propagated by the Protestant ideals. Collective
respect has been reinforced by the ideals of nationalism, which enhanced the understanding
of the differences based on differences in the ground of culture and race (Chasteen,p. 234).
2. Let’s look into Chapters 5-9: If more than one, describe the types of government that rose
to power during the neocolonial period as discussed in Chapter 7. In what ways did overseas
empires shape the neocolonial experience (women, social change, political transformation,
economic opportunities, etc.)? In these chapters (5-9), how did the revolutionary movements
throughout Latin America inspire a devoted movement and following? With what kind of
ideals did they connect with?
In the earlier part of the 19the century experienced the independence attained from the
armed struggle. However, the independence from the European power did not suggest that