Latin America

Definition

Latin America is a vast and diverse region that encompasses the countries and territories in the Americas where Romance languages derived from Latin, such as Spanish, Portuguese, and French, are predominantly spoken. This region has a rich history, culture, and geopolitical significance, particularly in the context of the 19th century expansion of slavery and the quest for new slave states.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Many Latin American countries gained independence from European colonial powers, such as Spain and Portugal, in the early 19th century, leading to a period of political instability and economic challenges.
2. The United States' policy of Manifest Destiny and the desire to expand slavery into new territories led to conflicts and interventions in Latin American affairs, such as the Mexican-American War.
3. Filibusters, or unauthorized military expeditions, were often launched by American citizens seeking to overthrow governments in Latin American countries and establish new slave-holding territories.
4. The demand for slave labor in the Americas, including the Caribbean and Latin America, fueled the transatlantic slave trade, which had a devastating impact on the populations and economies of the regions involved.
5. The geopolitical and economic interests of the United States in Latin America, including the quest for new slave states, contributed to a complex and often tumultuous relationship between the two regions during the 19th century.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concept of Manifest Destiny influenced the United States' involvement in Latin American affairs during the 19th century.
  • The belief in Manifest Destiny, the idea that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, led to the country's increased involvement in Latin American affairs during the 19th century. This included conflicts such as the Mexican-American War, as well as the support or sponsorship of filibuster expeditions, which were unauthorized military campaigns aimed at overthrowing governments in Latin American countries and establishing new slave-holding territories. The desire to expand slavery into new territories was a key driver of this policy, as the United States sought to maintain the balance of power between slave-holding and non-slave-holding states.
• Analyze the impact of the transatlantic slave trade on the populations and economies of Latin America.
  • The transatlantic slave trade had a devastating impact on the populations and economies of Latin American countries. The demand for slave labor in the Americas, including the Caribbean and Latin America, fueled the forced migration of millions of Africans to the region. This led to the disruption of indigenous populations, the exploitation of slave labor, and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a small elite class. The social, economic, and demographic changes brought about by the slave trade continue to shape the societies and political dynamics of many Latin American countries to this day.
• Evaluate the role of filibusters in the United States' quest for new slave states in Latin America, and how this contributed to the complex relationship between the two regions.
  • Filibusters, or unauthorized military expeditions, were a key tool used by the United States in its quest for new slave states in Latin America during the 19th century. These filibuster campaigns, often launched by American citizens, sought to overthrow governments in Latin American countries and establish new slave-holding territories. This policy of intervention and the desire to expand slavery into new regions contributed to a complex and often tumultuous relationship between the United States and Latin America. The geopolitical and economic interests of the United States in the region, combined with the legacy of colonialism and the impact of the transatlantic slave trade, created a dynamic that continues to shape the relationship between the two regions to this day.

Related terms

Filibuster:

A filibuster refers to the practice of using obstructive tactics, such as lengthy speeches, to delay or prevent the passage of legislation in a legislative body.

Manifest Destiny:

Manifest Destiny was the 19th-century American belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.

Slave Trade:

The slave trade was the transatlantic trade of African people, enslaved by European and American countries, to be sold and used as slave labor in the Americas and the Caribbean.