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Susan Hiner
History 141
Fall 2011

2. Britain and
Latin America
 In the early 1800’s Britain’s interest in Latin America grew as the Spanish lost
the battle in Peru and Latin America was gaining its independence. Britain was
able to open trade relations with the nearby nations and European markets.
London invested their money in Latin America’s government and mining
ventures.
 Britain’s interests and investments declined due to the lack of foreign
investments from New York as the U.S. entered their Depression era of the
1920’s.
 Trade was reduced due to Britain's financial crises caused by the Second World
War.
 Internal civil wars and those with the Spanish and the U.S. caused friction and
debt. Political instability caused by the military caudillo leaders increased.

3. Latin America’s Wars
 There were over 100 wars in Latin America and almost
a dozen causes. Some of the reasons were due to the
unrest felt by the population in regard to the social
economic and political situation.
 The social system was unpopular and gave Europeans
more privileges than the whites born there and even
less to everyone else.
 The economy was tailored to the people born in Spain
called peninsulares. The merchandise produced was
made directly for Spain and the trade system was
done by Europeans, for Europeans. The treatment of
the lower class population was poor.
 Boundaries were not well defined due to geographical
transfers of areas between the ruling individuals.
Therefore, colonies with common borders wanted to
claim one another’s land. These types of wars started
after their independence and into the nineteenth
century.

4. The French Intervention in Mexico, 1861-67
 Napoleon III of France planned to make Archduke Ferdinand
Maximilian of Austria emperor of Mexico, causing another
devastating war. Benito Juarez’s government was in debt and
owed Britain. Great Britain, France, Spain signed an
agreement to collect money from tariffs at Vera Cruz. The U.S.
was involved in the Civil War at this time and did not
participate.
 Maximilian was voted on June 12. His large army overpowered
Juarez’s small liberal army. Maximilian was unwise and
frivolous and due to worldwide events, Napoleon wanted to
pull out of Mexico.
 In 1865 the American Civil War ended and we left arms/ammo
along the border for the Liberals to use. Between Austria’s
defeat by Prussia and Germany’s intimidations, Napoleon
needed to end the war and hurray back to France.
 The French intervention postponed the Mexican political fight
between Liberals and Conservatives. Napoleon III lost his
standing and support with France. Congress made
Juarez president in 1871 and then Conservative, Porfirio
Diaz, ruled Mexico from 1876 to 1911.

5. Remember the Alamo
 In 1813, San Antonio Texas was part of Mexico and
under Spanish rule. Jose Antonio Navarro, leader
of the Tejanos (original Texans) initiated the
movement to be free from Spanish rule.
 Stephen Austin, from Missouri, heard about Texas
and encouraged the depression poor people to
come and buy the land. Austin created a
successful colony of 1800 people.
 In 1834 General Antonio López de Santa Anna of
Mexico abolished the federal constitution and sent
600 troops to Texas attacking their army.
 While Navarro was in Washington D.C., Santa
Anna’s troops went to San Antonio. Jim
Bowie, Colonel William Travis and a small group of
Tejanos defended the Alamo. In March 1836 the
Mexican’s assaulted the Tejanos and all defenders
died at the Alamo.
 Three weeks later, Commander Sam
Houston, initiated a surprise attack against
Santa Anna’s army and with the battle
cry, “Remember the Alamo”, defeated him.

6. Mexico: The Umbilical Cord
 Mexico is still a second world country and has
challenges even though it joined NAFTA in 1994.
Mexico is unable to keep up with the increased
globalization and there is more drug and people
trafficking to the U.S. Although we are neighbors,
China is exporting the manufactured goods to us that
Mexico should, but lacks the proper facilities.
Therefore, jobs were lost, and they immigrated to the
U.S. Almost half the population is in poverty.
 Mexicans immigrate to the U.S. to work, and then we
have to pay for their health and education. The second
language of the states located in the southwestern
region is Spanish and American’s go to Mexico for
inexpensive healthcare which is another example of our
tied relationship.
 Central America uses North and South America for
globalization purposes. They have high unemployment,
poverty and have many gangs which compete with
Mexico and end up coming across the border to the
U.S.
 The U.S. lack of involvement in Central America has led
China to step in to build businesses there and become a
major investor.

7. Venezuela: Bolivar’s Revenge
 Simón Bolivar was a 19th century revolutionary who wanted to free
Latin America from the Spanish. Venezuela was a major oil
producing country, at the expense of all else. Hugo Chávez came to
be president in 1998. He was unfair and corrupt and although he
seemed to provide social programs, the people worked for only the
government. Chávez makes millions in oil revenue and keeps the
money.
 Chávez is against the United States and what it stands for. He buys
weapons from Russia and signs oil agreements with Iran. His plan
to bring south America together is to use a barter system from
Cuba to Argentina. He is planning to build the longest pipeline from
Venezuela to Argentina.
 The U.S. is more powerful than Venezuela, so Chávez says he will
cut off our oil supply and sell to China instead. In exchange, China
will help Venezuela build homes and a communication network.
 Europe is a big investor in Venezuela’s economy and Spain agrees
with Chavez’s ideas about being independent from the U.S.
 Venezuela may develop into a prerevolutionary environment with
population inequality, economic instability, and a lot of wealth
from oil. Or it could resemble Bolivar’s dream to bring together
Latin America people to be one of the continents of this world, one
step up from a third-world continent.

8. Colombia: The Andean Balkans?
 Colombia’s coasts border both the Pacific and the
Caribbean and all the Andean Mountain nations share
its border as well. With its huge population which is the
world’s third largest and pivotal geographical
location, South America could increase its profits with
China agreements and by connecting with other
nations through an oil pipeline and highway.
 The Andean mountain ranges cut the country
geographically, politically and culturally . The three
political powers are the government, drug rebels and
paramilitary groups and Colombia is known as the
center of the drug trade and is the main source of drugs
sold in the U.S.
 Since Bolivar, Alvaro Uribe is the only leader in the
Andes who has been reelected and he agrees with the
U.S. program of ‘war on drugs’. He has made sure all
towns have police forces.
 The U.S. is not assisting economically or socially, but
with the drug program only which is ending any
support efforts. The Andes could be a great conduit
with their current and proposed assistance in the areas
of farming, corporations, banking, highways and
telecom efforts from the EU, China and Beijing.

9. Brazil: The Southern Pole
 Brazil encompasses half of South America and it borders almost
every country in the continent. Also, Latin America’s political goals
rely on Brazil and its huge economy and environmental resources. It
has a large export business, oil and gas fields as well as being the
headquarter location for many large companies.
 Brazil has become a powerful Latin American country but it took
three revolutions and in the past caused disparity in incomes and a
falling military and economy.
 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected president in 2002, and it was
planned that he would work on the social inequality issue, however
he turned out to be corrupt and in 2006 his presidency was
challenged by the Sao Paulo’s mayor.
 America stopped steel imports from Brazil even though it was
Brazil’s steel that help America in WW II. Brazil exports to needy
countries and also competes/compliments with its trade with China
 Brazil has two million people and has a huge range of races that is
second only to the originating country. The large African population
is at the bottom of the scale and the elite at the top. With the society
split there is urban growth but it also has gangs, riots and gun
deaths.

10. "Spiritual Leader of the Nation“
– Eva Perón
 María Eva Duarte de Perón or as she was sometimes called, Eva
Perón, was married to President Juan Perón and was the First Lady of
Argentina from 1946-1952. In Spanish, she was lovingly called Evita.
 She was one of five children, born in the village of Los Toldos in
Argentina. As a young teenager, she sought a radio and film career.
Eva met her future husband in 1944 while attending a charity event for
earthquake victims in San Juan.
 Years later, Eva was quite engaged in the country’s trade unions and
she spoke up to support labor rights. In addition, she headed the first
female political party in Argentina’s history, as well as other
foundations and women’s rights groups.
 In 1951 she submitted her nomination for VP of Argentina. Many low-
income and working class people supported her efforts, however the
military opposed her idea and her health was deteriorating so she had
to withdraw her candidacy. In 1952, she was given the official title of
"Spiritual Leader of the Nation" by the Argentine Congress.
 Eva Perón was adored by the people of Argentina . Cristina Fernández
de Kirchner made unprecedented history by being elected President of
Argentina in 2007. she claims that the women of her era owe Eva a
debt for "her example of passion and combativeness”.

11. The Panama Canal
 The Panama Canal is a waterway that allows people and
goods via ships to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Pacific Ocean in weeks instead of months saving
thousands of miles.
 Panama belonged to Colombia who did not agree to let
the U.S. build it, and consequently a revolution occurred
resulting in Panama’s independence in 1903.
 The new government authorized Philippe Bunau-Varilla
from France to discuss a treaty with the U.S. With this
new treaty called The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, the U.S.
could build the Panama Canal and control an area five
miles wide on both sides of it.
 Panama was divided by the Canal Zone (the U.S.
territory name) and it didn’t make the current residents
happy, nor did it help their economy.
 By the 1960’s the Panamanian government and the U.S.
had to find a way to solve the territorial concerns.
Therefore, a treaty was signed in 1977 by President
Jimmy Carter which stated that the U.S. would return
60% of the Canal Zone to Panama in 1979. On
December 31, 1999 the canal and the Canal Area was
returned to Panama.