Key Terms – Latin American Growth

Cash crop economy General Santa Anna The Alamo Benito Juarez Maximilian Porfirio Diaz Pancho Villa Emiliano Zapata

Venestriano Carranza

Factors Preventing Unity

As the countries in Central and South America began to grow, attempts to unify were thwarted for many reasons. 1. Geography 2. Economic Ideals 3. Class Differences 4. Politics

Geography The geography of South

America played an important role in preventing unification.

The Andes Mountains and the Amazon Rainforest prevented any countries from communicating effectively.

This led to each country developing in a completely different manner.

Economics

Separation led to the development of different economic ideals.

Many countries operated on cash-crop economies → economies in which one or two crops are the sole source of income for a country.

The fact that not all of the South American countries bought into the cash crop economy led to further separation.

Class Differences

Many of the South American countries differed in terms of which classes were dominant.

Creoles dominated many of the political systems within each country, hence they held a majority of the land and refused to redistribute.

Legal systems within many countries reinforced the strength of many of these creoles.

Would lead to revolts within these countries causing instability that prevented unification.

Political Differences

Considering the strength of the creoles, in many cases revolts occurred changing the political structures of these countries.

Caudillos rose to power in some countries due to the discontent with the upper classes and the need for stability.

The fact that some countries were run by dictators and others were not also prevented unification.

Mexico

General Santa Anna → ruled Mexico and presided over the greatest loss of Mexican territory in its history.

Republic of Texas would ask for independence leading to the occupation of the Alamo → a fort in San Antonio, TX.

General Sam Houston would liberate the fort.

General Santa Anna would be deposed for losing large amounts of territory to America.

Benito Juarez

- Would be the first Native American elected president of Mexico.

- Napoleon III would attempt to exert control over Mexico by installing Maximilian as ruler of Mexico

- Maximilian would be removed from power shortly after his arrival.

- Juarez would be re-elected and would bring reforms to encourage the separation of church and state.

Porfirio Diaz

- Caudillo who came into power in 1877.

- Took over the lands of the citizens and either sold it or rented it to others.

- Many would be unable to pay debts and live lifestyles similar to those of serfs.

- Diaz would be forced into exile in 1911 after election fraud.

- He would die in exile in 1915.

Pancho Villa (1877-1923)

- Used the peasant class to ascend to power.

- Led a large land redistribution program.

- Marched on Columbus, New Mexico and was soundly routed and chased back to Mexico.

- Would be assassinated in 1923 by leaders who feared his resurgence.

Emiliano Zapata

- Native American general in control of an army in Southern Mexico.

- Would play a major role in the Mexican Revolution; provided Francisco Madero with military support during his campaign to rule Mexico.

- Would be ambushed by generals sent by Venestriano Carranza

Venestriano Carranza

- Major figure during the Mexican Revolution.

- Became President of Mexico during the mid 1910's.

- Would largely fail to provide the reforms he promised, including land redistribution.

- Would be killed in an ambush by a former general of his.