The Mexican War The first in a long line of US intervention in Latin American affairs began rather peacefully in 1821, when American Moses Austin obtained a land grant to establish a colony in sparsely populated Texas, then Mexican territory. ... Surely enough, Mexico attacked Taylor's troops and killed 11 Americans; that was all Polk needed to declare war on Mexico. ... Spanish-American War Having already annexed Hawaii and forced Japan to embrace western contact by duress, the United States was already beginning to embrace both territorial and economic imperialism as a foreign polic...

• Word Count: 3500
• Approx Pages: 14
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Since the country gained its independence from Spain, it has gone from being a kingdom run by the Spanish elite, a military dictatorship, and finally a constitutional democratic republic. Guatemala's independence wasn't as bloody as many of the other Spanish colonies' struggle towards it, since there was no actual war with Spain. ... "A Central American convention declared Central America independent on July 1, 1823, and formed the United Provinces of Central America, a federation that included Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua."3 A concept si...

• Word Count: 1257
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Caste War, which began in the dry limestone flats of the Yucatan Peninsula in 1847, was one of the most successful indigenous uprisings in the history of the Americas and led to the existence of an independent Maya state that remained autonomous for over 50 years. Yet, the Caste War was also a war of factions, Maya against Mexican, Maya against British, Mexican against British, and Maya against Maya. Inhabited by the Maya for well over three thousand years, the Yucatan had become a political and economic focus for the Spanish colonial powers centered in Merida. ... By 1821, Mexico had gain...

• Word Count: 1928
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

During the period of the Spanish conquest, in the 1500's AD, Hernán Cortés, a Spanish "adventurer", landed in Mexico, which was at the time Aztec territory. He overthrew the then-Aztec ruler, Moctezuma II, and declared Spanish rule. ... By 1822, Mexico had finally achieved independence from Spain under the Emperor Agustan Iturbide. ... Santa Ana dominated Mexican politics for about 30 years, and it was under his command that Mexico lost Texas, as well as losing the Mexican-American War. ... France took advantage of the American Civil War to install Emperor Maximillian...

• Word Count: 1114
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Haitian, Mexican, and most Latin American revolutions were inspired by the Enlightenment ideas. These ideas encouraged the Americans of revolting against the English (1783) in order to become a nation. ... Later came the Mexican War of Independence with Father Miguel Hidalgo, which lasted from 1810 to 1821. ... The priest known as Miguel Hidalgo disagreed with the ways that the kingdom of Spain treated his fellow indigenous. ... After all the riots and wars, plantations, agricultural fields, and mines were destroyed. ...

• Word Count: 1312
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Aztecs were well on their way to becoming one of the most powerful states in the Americas, and the eventual collision of these two powers was going to be an encounter that the world would not soon forget (15). The Aztec territory began after a series of wars and the immersion of a diplomatic way of life, taking less than a century to fully develop into a developed nation. ... Restall notes that in later years, sole power was eventually transferred to Tenochtitlan during the "War of Flowers ", which was dubbed the capital for the Aztec nation. ... Though the Spanish dreamed of unity, they...

• Word Count: 2285
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The post independence period in Latin American represents the golden age of the caudillos (military leader). ... These caudillos often mobilized followers with various methods and used a number different strategies to create new forms of political participation in Latin America during this era. ... Some of his successful defenses included the Spanish invasion of Mexico in 1829, The French and the Pastry War in 1838 and the Mexican American War in 1845. ... Although both leaders used very different sets of techniques, they were able to mobilize support and create new forms of political partic...

• Word Count: 714
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Latin American History The Underdogs and the Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution was a violent political and social upheaval that occurred in Mexico in the early 20th century. ... People such as these revolutionaries; particularly Zapata and Villa, sought to reverse the effects that the Spanish colonization had on the Mexican people. Before the brutal four hundred year bloodshed that was the Spanish occupation, despite the fact that the nation of the Aztecs was ruled by an authoritarian, every citizen was entitled to corn as so not to starve. ... He goes from being a peaceful i...

• Word Count: 960
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate