1

Early Latin AmericaEarly Latin AmericaIntroductionIntroduction

Course home page:Course home page:http://www.hist.umn.eduhttp://www.hist.umn.edu

/~rmccaa/colonial/index.htm/~rmccaa/colonial/index.htm

2

Today’s LectureToday’s Lecture Introduction:

– staff, syllabus Chronology:

– before, first encounters, seasoning, resurgence, independence

Physical geography: – Tectonic plates, climate, physical

features Prehistoric settlement types:

– bands, tribes, chiefdoms, states

3

ChronologyChronology Before, 1450-1492

– America, Iberia and Africa First encounters, 1492-1575

– Cantares Mexicanos (1523): “Our cries of grief rise up…”

Seasoning, 1575-1750– Viceroy Toledo (1582): “…the Indians

are resettled…” Resurgence, 1750-1808

– Bourbon reconquest Independence, 1808-1825

– Bolivar: “Independence is the only benefit…”

4

Latin AmericaLatin America1580:1580:

SpanishSpanish and and PortuguesePortuguesesettlementsettlementdomainsdomains

New Spain

PeruBrazil

©Cambridge Encyclopedia of Latin America & the Caribbean

5

Latin America,Latin America,1808:1808:

Political Political and and

EconomicEconomicGeographyGeography

New Spain

Peru

New Granada 1739

Rio de la

Plata 1776

Brazil

S

S

S

S

G

G

©Cambridge Encyclopedia of Latin America & the Caribbean

6

GeographyGeography Tectonic plates

– Mosaic of distinct geological units Climate

– Latitude: “Night is the winter of the tropics.”

– Ocean currents: hot, cold– Altitude: hot, temperate, cold, very cold

Physical features: – Andean, Interior lowlands, Atlantic

massifs – Mesoamerica and Caribbean

7

Tectonic Tectonic Plates: Plates:

PreCambrianPreCambrianSedementarySedementary

PlainsPlainsBasinsBasins

Young Mtns.Young Mtns.VolcanicVolcanic

Basalt Plateau

©Cambridge Encyclopedia of Latin America & the Caribbean

8

Principal Principal Physical Physical Features.Features.

Key (meters): Key (meters):

3000-50003000-50001000-30001000-3000500-1000500-1000200-500200-500

sea level-200sea level-200

©Cambridge Encyclopedia of Latin America & the Caribbean

9

Prehistoric settlement typesPrehistoric settlement types

Bands: ~30 people per band– foragers and fishers

Tribes: ~200 people per tribe– shifting agriculture

Chiefdoms: 5,000 - 60,000 per– irrigation: chinampas, terraces

States: 100,000 - millions– diversified agriculture, complex

hierachies,

10

Bands

Tribes

Chiefdoms

States

Cultural Cultural Types at Types at Contact:Contact:Bands,Bands,Tribes,Tribes,

Chiefdoms, Chiefdoms, StatesStates

11

1779, 1930, 1960, 1990: censos; 1540 - 850 mujeres nahuas

po

rce

nta

je

Mexico: mujeres adultas (15+) alguna vez casadas0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

casadas nocasada

1540 1779 1930 1960 1990

Mexican marriage systems: Mexican marriage systems: continuity, 1540 - 1779; continuity, 1540 - 1779;

contrast, 1779-1930contrast, 1779-1930 (% women married aged 15 or more years)(% women married aged 15 or more years)

Married

Not

1540

95%

1779 1930

70%

1960 1990

12

Marriage (at 15) Codex Mendoza, Marriage (at 15) Codex Mendoza, 15401540

15:

13

5 complete conjugal families 5 complete conjugal families 4 generations, 4 generations,

3 married brothers (1540)3 married brothers (1540)

MarriedHead Married

SonMarried1 yr ago

Married

SonMarried

Married

Simplyan old widow

Married SonMarried

MarriedSon,

Married1 yr ago

Son, 10Unmrrd

Niece, 20Unmrrd

14

1540: Predomina la familia extensa

Familias nahuas de pueblos rurales de Morelos 13% jefe

13% conyugue

24% hijos

50% familiar

1% sinparen

Aztec household structure before Aztec household structure before the spiritual conquest (1540)the spiritual conquest (1540)

Head

Spouse

Offspring

Kin

Not

Extended families were the norm