Unit 4: Nationalism, Industrialism, and Imperialism

Lesson F: Imperialism and the New World of the Americas

Lesson Overview

During the 19^th century, most Latin American countries broke from colonial control. Most countries were inspired to fight for independence when the Spanish monarchy was overthrown by Napoleon. As countries in Latin America became "independent," many became vulnerable to American and other military intervention. In addition to military intervention, Latin Americans also saw their economies become dominated by foreign interests and companies. By the end of the 19^th century, many Latin American countries were greatly controlled by other countries. This foreign intervention and domination limited change to Latin American social and cultural systems throughout the 19^th century.

Latin American Independence ^[1]

Key Questions

1. To what extent did Western powers control Latin America economically and politically in the 19^th century?
2. How did social conditions change during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries?
3. How did the economic systems of Latin American change and stay the same during the 19^th century?

Student Outcomes

1. Summarize Latin America's growing dependence on the global market.
2. Analyze the consequences of economic development, elite domination, and the abolition of slavery for peasants, Indian populations, and immigrant laborers.
3. Assess the effects of foreign intervention, liberal government policies, and nationalism on social and economic changes in Mexico, including legal and political rights for women.
4. Employ quantitative analysis in order to explore such topics as changes in family size and composition, migration patterns, wealth distribution, and changes in the economy. (Historical Thinking Skill)

Key Terms

• canal
• Caste System
• corollary
• cultural geography
• descendant
• doctrine
• military intervention
• trading partner

Student Resources

• Historical Investigation - Women in Latin America (doc)
• Student Resource: Economic History of a Select Country (doc)
• Latin America - Independent or Dependent Brief Constructed Response (BCR) (doc)

Chart of Activities

Lesson Completion Time

The total estimated time to complete this lesson is 145 minutes.

Page Notes:

^[1] Source: This image from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Latin_American_independence_countries.PNG is licensed under the terms of the GNU License Agreement.