Unit I: Colonialism & Piracy (1/2)

Latin America & the Caribbean before the arrival of Columbus was populated by various native groups. Among them are:

The Maya (p30-45 of Concise History of Mexico)
The Aztec (p48-55 of Concise History of Mexico)

The Arawak (p15-16 of Brief History of the Caribbean)
The Carib (p17 of Brief History of the Caribbean)

Obviously there are many others, most notably the Maya, but this course does not go into any depth on any native culture.

Columbus voyages

The 4 voyages of Christopher Columbus

Cortes

Note the span of time between when Columbus "discovered" the Americas and Cortes conquered the Aztecs. What does that tell you about Spanish colonial society?

European colonialism

Excellent overview of the colonial legacy of the Europeans in Latin America by Jessica Barnes of 

The Ohio State University

Piracy

Yes, pirates were real. However, our perceptions of their position in history has been distorted by Hollywood. (What else is new?)

Read on the reality of piracy in the Caribbean region 

(p34-44 & p85-104 in Brief History of the Caribbean)

Cool documentary that uncovers Henry Morgan and his times.

History Channel's True Pirates of the Caribbean

Part of the legacy of pirates and buccaneers is how they assisted European powers in gaining advantage in the region and, subsequently, gaining territory. Check out this link for an illustration. 

Part of the reason for the desire to own these new lands was that it was fertile ground for establishing plantations that could be very profitable. 

Using the map above, you can identify which regions were profitable for which crops. 

For an untold story of slavery that may add an additional dimension, check out this link.