Conquest of Latin America

There will be a quiz over Chapter 1 in Born in Blood and Fire on Thursday 9/18. Below are the prompts. You will be asked to answer to of the prompts at random.

• Identify and assess the relative advantages and disadvantages of the Europeans and Latin Americans at the time of the contact.
• How were Cortes and Pizarro able to exploit existing conditions in the Aztec and Incan empires to conquer them?
• Who were the Moors? What was the reconquest of Spain? How was it similar to Spanish conquest in the “new world”?
• Briefly explain the involvement of Brazil in the “New World”. Why did the Portuguese turn to Africa for slaves? Why were African slaves “preferable”?
• The Latin American civilizations established prior to European contact were civilized. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Include characteristics of the civilization in your answer.
• Explain the conquests of Cortes and Pizarro. What happened? Who were their adversaries? How/why were they able to defeat them?
• Briefly describe the differences in the use and treatment of slaves in Africa to the use of slaves in the “New World”.

HOMEWORK:
Read Chapter 1 in Born in Blood and Fire. Prepare reading notes to share in groups.
QUIZ - Thursday 9/18