Ch 2

Adam Murphy
Initial Encounters

● Main Subjects:
○ Initial European encounters with indigenous populations.
○ Key figures: Christopher Columbus, Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro.
● Main Ideas:
○ Motivations for exploration: wealth (gold, silver), land, and the spread of Christianity.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Exploration routes: Columbus's voyages to the Caribbean, Cortés's expedition to Mexico, Pizarro's journey to Peru.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ Columbus's landing in the Bahamas (1492).
○ Cortés's arrival in Mexico and encounter with the Aztecs (1519).
○ Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire (1532).
Conquest Strategies

● Main Subjects:
○ Military tactics and alliances with indigenous groups.
○ The role of disease in conquest.
● Main Ideas:
○ The strategic use of alliances with rival indigenous groups.
○ The devastating impact of European diseases on indigenous populations.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Smallpox, influenza, and other diseases decimated indigenous populations, weakening resistance.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The fall of Tenochtitlán (1521).
○ The capture and execution of Atahualpa, the Inca emperor (1533).
Early Colonial Administration

● Main Subjects:
○ Establishment of colonial governance.
● Main Ideas:
○ The creation of viceroyalties and audiencias to manage colonial territories.
○ The encomienda system granting Spanish settlers control over indigenous labor.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Viceroyalty of New Spain (Mexico) and Viceroyalty of Peru.
○ The impact of encomienda on indigenous populations: forced labor and tribute.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ Establishment of the Viceroyalty of New Spain (1535).
○ The Laws of Burgos (1512) and New Laws of the Indies (1542) aimed at regulating the treatment of indigenous people.
The Colonial Hierarchy

● Main Subjects:
○ The casta system and social stratification.
● Main Ideas:
○ The hierarchical structure based on racial and ethnic backgrounds.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Peninsulares (Spaniards born in Spain), Creoles (Spaniards born in the Americas), mestizos (mixed European and
indigenous ancestry), mulattoes (mixed European and African ancestry), indigenous peoples, and Africans.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The legal and social privileges of Peninsulares and Creoles.
○ The marginalization and exploitation of mestizos, indigenous peoples, and Africans.
Cultural Syncretism

● Main Subjects:
○ Blending of European, African, and indigenous cultures.
● Main Ideas:
○ The fusion of religious practices, languages, and artistic expressions.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Syncretism in religion: Catholicism combined with indigenous beliefs.
○ Language blending: Spanish, Portuguese, and indigenous languages.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The development of unique cultural practices, such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
○ Resistance and adaptation by indigenous and African communities to maintain their cultural identities.
Mining and Agriculture

● Main Subjects:
○ The importance of silver and gold mining.
● Main Ideas:
○ The economic foundation of the colonies based on resource extraction.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Major mining centers: Potosí in Bolivia and Zacatecas in Mexico.
○ Agricultural production systems: haciendas (large estates) and plantations.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The discovery of silver in Potosí (1545) and its impact on the global economy.
○ The use of indigenous and African slave labor in mining and agriculture.
Trade and Commerce

● Main Subjects:
○ Role of mercantilism in colonial trade policies.
● Main Ideas:
○ The control of colonial trade by the Spanish Crown and the importance of trade routes.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ The Manila galleons: trade between the Philippines and Mexico.
○ The transatlantic trade: goods exchanged between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The annual treasure fleets transporting silver from the Americas to Spain.
○ The exchange of goods such as sugar, tobacco, and spices.
Colonial Governance

● Main Subjects:
○ The role and power of the Spanish Crown in colonial administration.
● Main Ideas:
○ The hierarchical structure of colonial governance.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Viceroys as representatives of the Spanish Crown.
○ Local governance by governors and officials.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The implementation of the Laws of the Indies (1680), a comprehensive set of regulations for colonial administration.
Resistance and Rebellion

● Main Subjects:
○ Early indigenous revolts and African slave rebellions.
● Main Ideas:
○ Causes of resistance: oppression, exploitation, and cultural preservation.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ Maroon communities: settlements of escaped African slaves.
○ Impact of resistance on colonial policies and governance.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The Pueblo Revolt (1680) in present-day New Mexico.
○ The formation of palenques (maroon communities) in Brazil and the Caribbean.
Legacy of the Colonial Period

● Main Subjects:
○ Lasting impacts of colonial rule on Latin America.
● Main Ideas:
○ Social and economic legacies, cultural blending, and new identities.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ The creation of a diverse and complex society.
○ The foundations for independence movements in the 19th century.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ The influence of colonial institutions on modern Latin American societies.
○ The rise of Creole nationalism and the eventual push for independence.
Reflections on Colonialism

● Main Subjects:
○ Debates on the benefits and harms of colonialism.
● Main Ideas:
○ Perspectives from contemporary Latin American scholars on the legacy of colonialism.
● Crucial Concepts:
○ The enduring influence of colonial structures in modern Latin America.
○ The mixed legacy of colonialism: economic development vs. social inequality and cultural erasure.
● Significant Facts and Events:
○ Modern debates on reparations and historical justice.
○ The ongoing impact of colonial borders and social hierarchies on contemporary Latin American politics and society.

Sources Cited

Keen, B., Haynes, K. H., & Buffington, R. (2012). Latin American Civilization: History and Society, 1492 to the Present, Volume 1 (10th
ed.). Westview Press.