Latin American since 1945 Flashcards
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
The pope split the world between Spanish and Portuguese influence.
What percent of slaves went to Brazil?
50%
How does race determine social status?
Closer to European, higher the status
Who were the Criollos?
European elites that control the land. They had a hard time forming a centralized government
What did Simon Bolivar want?
A United States of Latin America
Where did Liberal Nationalism come from?
Imported from US and Western Europe
Who did Simon Bolivar want independence from?
Spain, Portugal, Catholic Church
What did the Wars of Independence achieve?
Abolished slavery, but power remains with church, landlords.
What “new nation problems” did latin america have?
Economic isolation
End of Spanish tariffs means cheap British imports
Boundary disputes - no united latin america
conservative and liberal feuds - military dictatorships put an end to it
Outline the latin american trade imbalance
Britain and US dominate trade relationship - export to latin america
Latin America exports raw materials that depend on cheap labour
Rich get all the wealth and import luxury goods. Don’t invest in own country
Attempts to modernize production of coffee, such as railroads to get to market, backfire. Borrow money, export more coffee, so price drops, can’t pay back debt
Which countries had a large number of African and indigenous people?
Bolivia, Peru, Brazil
Which countries had lots of European descendants?
Argentina, Uruguay, Chile
What was the “good neighbour” policy
American stops sending the military into latin America to fix any “problem” started by FDR March 4 1933, but after 1945 policy takes back seat to communism fears
Outline problems in neocolonialism
Little development, economically dependent on US, which controls trade and manufacturing. Landowners benefit
Frustration among poor leads to demands for reform (socialism?)
What did the Arbenz Government (1950) try to do in Guatemala?
Agrarian reform - Decree 900 to break up unused land reserves of foreign owners and redistribute land to poor (force if needed).
What was the US response to Arbenz?
The United Fruit Company lobbied Eisenhower to authorize a CIA coup in 1954 under the pretext that they’re communists
Who was Batista and how long did his regime last
A Cuban dictator backed by US, 52-59.
What interests did US have in Cuba?
Sugar plantations
When did Che Guevara and Fidel Castro land in Cuba?
Dec 1956
When did Batista flee Cuba and when did Castro reach Havana?
Flees Jan 1 1959 and Castro in Havana Jan 7
What inspired Che to launch leftist insugencies?
The overthrow of Arbenz in Guatemala
What did Castro do to US-owned interests in Cuba? How did US respond?
He expropriates sugar company lands, banks, large firms. US embargo on Cuba. USSR offers support (Cuba=client state?)
Bay of Pigs Invasion April 1961. 1,400 Cuban exiles trained by the CIA. The U.S. give no air support, 1,400 vs. 75,000 and tanks (Soviet support).
