Essay On Colonialism In Latin America

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Colonialism came to Latin America in the fifteenth century by the Europeans. They discovered three forms of civilization: there were the Mayan, Aztecs and the Incas (MLA, pg.13). After the arrival of the Europeans the nation transformed their cultural adaptations and suppressions. Before Latin American independence, three institutions exercised control over the population in Latin America. First, there was the Spanish crown where the colonist had to produce revenue and did so by putting a tax on everything. The government was universal and relatively efficient because it had to be in order to collect it’s taxes. Second, there was the Catholic Church, which had a strong influence on the people’s everyday lives. Lastly, there was there was patriarchy (MLA, pg.20). In Latin America, similar as to the most of the world, men had complete control over their wives. This was mainly about property rights because illegitimate children can inherit their father’s property. Though, it seemed to be made out as a way of purity. Nonetheless, Latin American society had a wide range of cultural blending. A new Latin American culture emerged mixing one whites from Spain, called the peninsulares, two, whites born in the Americas called creoles, three, Native Americans, and four, African slaves (MLA, pg.20). This caused a great deal of racial diversity and a social hierarchy. There were four basic racial categories, white, black, mestizo, a mix of white and American Indian, and mulatto, a mix of white and black (MLA, pg.19). There were constant attempts to classify and divide them into their own racial group. From the 16th century and on, Latin America had a huge diversity of mixed race people. During the19th, Latin America saw rapid changes in socia... ... middle of paper ... ...y became independent from Spain under some conditions; United States Military would occupy Cuba and the Platt Amendment would be place in their constitution. The Platt Amendment was a guideline that was added by the United States Congress. This kept Cuba controlled and protected by the US. The Platt Amendment “gave the United States the right intervene in domestic politics at will.” Cuba was an American territory. Cubans looked at this as an elimination to their independence. The Platt Amendment remained in force until 1934 when both decided to cancel the amendment. At that point, Cuba broke away from the United States and became a free country. Just as Latin American nations were getting their independence from Spain and Portugal, Northern Europe and the Unites States, were going under the process of industrialization and were very much in need of raw materials.

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