Latin America: Culture, Latin America: Culture, Society, & Prosperity in the Society, & Prosperity in the Liberal Era, 1860-1920Liberal Era, 1860-1920

1750-1914 Lesson 61750-1914 Lesson 6

Main Ideas:Main Ideas:• Economic links to and immigration from Economic links to and immigration from

Europe led to a prosperous imitative high Europe led to a prosperous imitative high culture for elitesculture for elites

• As Latin America struggled to keep pace As Latin America struggled to keep pace with the West, its societies struggled to with the West, its societies struggled to come to terms with liberal reform and come to terms with liberal reform and traditional practice traditional practice

• Economic circumstances led to a form of Economic circumstances led to a form of “economic imperialism” in the region“economic imperialism” in the region

Remember…Remember… • Most Spanish colonies Most Spanish colonies

independent in 1821; independent in 1821; Brazil independent in 1822 Brazil independent in 1822

• United States (Monroe United States (Monroe Doctrine) & Britain (navy) Doctrine) & Britain (navy) the regional power by the regional power by 18151815

• Liberalism in vogue by Liberalism in vogue by 1860’s but struggles with 1860’s but struggles with traditional elites traditional elites ((caudilloscaudillos, army, Church) , army, Church)

Elite Culture in the Liberal Elite Culture in the Liberal

EraEra • European & American European & American influencesinfluences– Napoleonic Neo-Napoleonic Neo-

ClassicismClassicism

• Romanticizing of Romanticizing of liberty & “the simple liberty & “the simple life” (but not too much)life” (but not too much)

• Popular culturePopular culture– Music & danceMusic & dance

Social InconsistenciesSocial Inconsistencies • Liberalist struggles vs. Liberalist struggles vs.

traditional societytraditional society• Race & EthnicityRace & Ethnicity

– criolloscriollos, , mestizos, mestizos, && Indios Indios

• GenderGender– rights & limitations for rights & limitations for

womenwomen• elite vs. lower-classelite vs. lower-class

• EducationEducation– extent of public educationextent of public education– urban vs. ruralurban vs. rural– gender equalitygender equality

Single-Export Single-Export EconomiesEconomies • Remember: Remember:

– “ “Neo-colonial” Neo-colonial” economies after economies after independenceindependence

– Reasons for failures to Reasons for failures to diversifydiversify• Lack of financial resourcesLack of financial resources• Passive resistance from Passive resistance from

partners (USA & GBR)partners (USA & GBR)• Fear of disrupting the Fear of disrupting the

systemsystem—diversification not —diversification not in interests of elites!in interests of elites!

Impacts of the Export Impacts of the Export EconomyEconomy • Centralized political Centralized political

& economic power& economic power• Market determinants Market determinants

outsideoutside of region of region• Foreign Direct Foreign Direct

Investment:Investment:– Britain:Britain: oil, beef oil, beef– US:US: fruit, coffee, rail fruit, coffee, rail

• Tendency for wealth Tendency for wealth & corruption& corruption

““El NorteEl Norte”” • The Roosevelt The Roosevelt

CorollaryCorollary• Military actionsMilitary actions

– United Fruit Co. United Fruit Co. (Central America)(Central America)

– Spanish-American Spanish-American War, 1898War, 1898

• The Panama Canal The Panama Canal (1900)(1900)

Latin America Entering the 20Latin America Entering the 20thth

CenturyCentury • Republican Republican

oligarchiesoligarchies• Revolutionary Revolutionary

tendencies: tendencies: Mexico, Argentina, Mexico, Argentina, BrazilBrazil

• Reform evident, Reform evident, but often misplaced but often misplaced or minimally or minimally successfulsuccessful