Week 12: Speaking Truth to Power

This weeks reading was quite interesting as I have not heard of most of theses events and injustices that took place in Latin America. I had heard previously of the disappearances in Argentina, but learning that this took place within a dictatorship that killed between 9000- 30 000 people was just insane.

Learning of the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo was quite intriguing as they were literally mothers, who had lost a loved one, but kept battling to fight their cause. These were were extraordinarily brave, in risking their lives to show their displeasure with the Argentinian government. Some of theses women ended up going missing in their process of fighting against government disappearances.

I found the part on drug wars quite fascinating as well. The intertwining positions of authority and power the drug cartels have on all levels of society was interesting. While reading I felt as though this problem didn’t just suddenly arise in the modern times, but sprung up in the rise of modernity. Certain actions and precautions weren’t taken in the peoples interest, and a lot ended up in poverty because of their resources being exploited and the way the government forced people to conform to their ideals. With no jobs, uncertain future, and a family in need of supports, one must take up action in selling what they could. Maybe leading to the trafficking of illicit drugs. All must have a job to support their families so in a jobless position they were in, selling goods doesn’t seem that bad in a their circumstance. Theres a saying that goes something like, No man is inherently evil, but it is the circumstance that they are pushed into that changes them. And I think this goes really well with the reasons for why people might get into this.

 

Week 11: The Terror

This weeks reading I found the part about Belaúnde quite interesting. I thought it was shocking that after regaining his presidency within 2 years, between 1980-1982, he brought the inflation rate up by 70% and the national currency lost 80% of it value. To think the president did not have any stops and had complete power over putting the nation in an economic turmoil is crazy to me. What was even more jaw dropping was that Belaúnde’s replacer Alan Garcia, caused the inflation rate to go up by 10,000% by 1989.

I also found interesting that the university students in Ayacucho, were angry with Belaúnde’s running of the nation and were scared for their future and wanted to show their disapproval. I thought this was interesting because the university protestors were scared of their future, as they were most likely young. I thought this was pretty similar to nowadays how a lot of protests we hear about on the news, are fuelled by the young. Perhaps it is there excitement and energy that young people are usually associated with that allows them to fuel these protests. The most recent protest was after Donald Trump won the presidency in the USA and a protest took place for a few nights after. As far as the media has spoken about these protests, it seems that they are fuelled by younger people.

Research Assignment: Columbus

Primary Source: Christopher Columbus’ Journal

The Voyage of Christopher Columbus: Columbus’ Own Journal of Discovery Newly Restored and Translated. Ed. John Cummins. New York: St Martin’s Press, 1992.

On Friday October 12^th made contact with the indigenous peoples of the land, and set foot on the shore of the Americas for the first time. It was evident that Columbus was taken aback at the beauty of the land. Columbus described the sights as, “Everything is green and a delight to the eye,” (96). Upon landing on shore, Columbus declared he was, “Taking possession of this island for their Lord and Lady the King and Queen,” (94) and called his men to bear witness. Columbus’s Journal shows us that Columbus thought the indigenous people of the land were very gentle; he described the people as, “Very simple, and finely made,” (97). The eagerness and willingness of the people, definitely made Columbus feel superior, as well as the nakedness of the people. Columbus shows he did no think very highly of the indigenous peoples. He though they seemed to appear poor going about their day, “As naked as the day they were born,” (94). The people carried no weapons, and Columbus thought this was ignorant of them. He described them as, “Cowardly and timid,’ (130). Christopher Columbus’s Journal is very important for our group project because we have a first hand experience of the thoughts and beliefs of one of the first colonizers. We do not have any written account for how the indigenous peoples of the Americas were, except through Columbus’s Journal we can see how Columbus and his crew perceived them.

 

Secondary Source: Smithsonian

Morgan, Edmund S. “Columbus’ Confusion of the New World.” Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian, Oct. 2009. Web. 15 Nov. 2016. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/columbus-confusion-about-the-new-world-140132422/?all&gt;.

This article of Columbus gave some great insight knowledge on Columbus. It spoke of Columbus’s ideas and beliefs of the West Indies and how he read through the travels such as Marco Polo. Columbus believed he was going to a land rich in gold and spices, and this is the reason why he was always inquiring about small pieces of gold that he saw the natives had on belts or wore as nose hoops. The justification of why Columbus could take possession of the lands he found lied in the pure reason because the Spaniards had Christianity and civilization, and it lied in Christians to spread the word of Christ and the gospels. In two days Columbus had believed he could decipher the native language and he believed they had cried out, “Come and see the men who have come from Heaven; bring them food and drink.” This article was very important in understand the attitude and behaviour of Columbus. The Journal was important for understand Columbus’s beliefs and thoughts, but this explained why he thought that way. It showed where his superiority attitude stemmed from.

Week 10: Power to the People

This week I found it interesting the use of the radio, and how that affected the peoples decision in who to follow. Getulio Vargas was one of the first to start exploiting the radio but because of his lack of personality, his radio channel did not gain much popularity. O the other hand Juan Peron, had a great radio personality, which was interesting and engaging.

I also found it quite interesting how Peron and his Eva Duarte, became a power-couple in Argentinian politics. Nowadays we see that power-couples are an important aspect in gaining the public favour. In Canadian politics, there is Trudeau and his wife, Sophie, while during the election, their family was in the spotlight, because many Canadians fell in love with their family. Although we were voting for Justin Trudeau, we looked to his wife Sophie, and saw someone who we believed was respectable. Its almost as if our vote is for the family and not just for the name of the ballet.

Week 9: Commerce, Coercion, and America’s Empire

The last few readings have been about the economic boom and the problems it associated with. In this week we continue on that theme. I found particularly the parts about the banana industry in Latin America quite interesting.

A main company who produced bananas in Latin America is called the United Fruit Company (UFCO). The UFCO had produced bananas in the Caribbean and shipped them to the USA. I thought the power the UFCO was granted by the Guatemalan government was extraordinary, considering they had been granted complete monopoly over the countries banana production in return for economic prosperity and some control over the countries’ internal affairs (UFCO ran their own towns, ports, and railway). I assumed that by what the government got in return meant that previous to the monopoly UFCO must have had enough power to control the country.

The banana industry was prone to tropical diseases and illnesses, such as malaria, and in this case the plantation would have been destroyed. I thought it was interesting how the Guatemalan government knew that the banana industry promoted the culture of alcohol abuse, prostitution, and violence, and ruled over their employees in an imperialistic fashion and still granted monopoly over the banana production. I believe this directly shows how most government (around the world and in latin America) care for their own economic growth and success over the quality of life of the peoples of the country.

Week 8: Signs of Crisis in a Gilded Age

The previous week we had looked at  the export boom, in which Latin Americas export became a mass production. Producing good for the world to consume, such as coffee and tobacco. This week we see the problem that come with exploiting a countries resources with no means of protecting the people interests. They seemed to only care about the growing economy and any problems that occured with such were dissregarded.

We see in this chapter that the export boom led to the rule areas of Latin America being exploited for their resources and the people working in terrible conditions. The people in this case, fought back at times. And we can see in places of Latin America the working conditions are still not up to pare compared to most of North American standards.

These conditions the people faced led to the Mexican Revolution. This was the first time for me to read up on this and it was quite fascinating to see the struggles the people went through and the build up to the revolution. Pacho Villa and Emiliano Zapata were quite the characters who played some big roles in the seize of Mexico City.

Week 7: The Export Boom as Modernity

This Chapter focused on Latin Americas booming export industry and the changes it brought to Latin America.

I found interesting on this chapter was the invention and use of photography. The photographic medium was invented in the nineteenth century and is strongly linked to modernity. “Photographs offered a powerful means with which to capture rality, distinct from other forms that seemed more deeply mediated by the hands of the artist.” The people in the photographs that artist took, had no say as the photographers used them to model the typical ‘Indian’ or ‘peasant.’ I found it interesting to see photography used in this way to depict a certain group of people. I would assume this is how a lot of hate and stereotyping would occur in a region from these pictures and I wonder why a photographer would want to show something like this.

Week 6: Citizenship and Rights in the New Republics

This weeks readings were very interesting. They were quite heavy just like previous weeks of Latin America readings, which seem to be a reoccurring theme in the histories of Latin America. I think every region has had their fair share of unfair past and present problems and I think its fair to say Latin America is included.

I did not know that Latin America had that amount of population involved in the slave trade. Previously I had thought  United States was where slaves were dominant. The people of colour in Latin America seemed to have been pushed aside when it come to receiving their rights and equality among the people. I also thought that this was a problem that has seen the world. We can see this  in all parts of the world, where people of darker skin are looked down upon; even between races, people internally look down upon their peers.

I found the arguments about women’s rights quite interesting. The letter between Maria Eugenia Echenique and Josephina Pelliza de Sagasta were quite interesting on the different points of views they had about women’s rights, even though they are both women from the same times. It seemed as if Maria’s article to the magazine was pro equality for women’s rights and Josephina’s response to the article was women aren’t meant to have the same rights. I found Josephina’s view in particular interesting because she seemed to believe women were suppose to be the caretakers and lovers of children and husbands and, “in short everything but emancipated, less free in independence and rights than men.”

I believe Maria’s point of her article was that she believed women should have equal rights against a man and be able to have a decision of what she would like to do. I completely agree with Maria because it is wrong for women to be confined to one role because she does not have the right to do as she pleases. Women are not just a caretaker and lover for children and men as Josephina seemed to believe. Josephina also states and believes, women are,”weak and tender in their spirits and their bodies cannot endure the difficult hardships to which men are subjected.” It seems as if Josephina does not like the idea of a powerful women and considering she wrote against an article another women wrote about women rights, says a lot about her beliefs.

Week 4: Independence Narratives, Past and Present

This weeks readings of the beginnings of independence in Latin America were very interesting. I found Simón Bolívar letter to Jamaica very passion. I could feel the rage behind the letter. Bolivar understands the land is vast and too hard for the Europeans to grasp the politics involved with running it. He speaks of the people longing for independence and how they are struggling for it. The New World will not let up, and the Europeans are constantly on defense.

Bolivar’s letter is a powerful speech of what will come. He speaks of all the death and crimes that are and will come, until the Latin American people are free. He speaks of how newborn children’s blood with flow with rage and the desire to be independent. He speaks as though they will inevitably be free, which I think is a optimistic way to look at it, and is one of the reasons Bolivar is looked up to. His optimistic view is motivating.

My favorite quote from Bolivar’s letter was, “The time has come at last to repay the Spaniards torture for torture and to drown the race of annihilators in its own blood or in the sea,” because it expresses Bolivar’s rage in words.

Hugo Chavez speech was captivating in a way where I felt his charisma through the screen. He brought up Bolivar’s letter, which I thought showed, to some degree, of what Latin America is going through to this current day. Because the letter was written long ago, but was still so relatable, enough for Chavez to refer to it.

Week 3: Catalina De Erauso

I thought the story of Catalina De Erauso was truly extraordinary. The thought of what she went through and her real accounts of her adventure were really exhilarating.

Known as Antonio, Alonso Diaz, or Francisco, but in her previous life as Catalina. I believed because she was woman, it makes her story powerful because of the time era she lived in. I believes, if this history piece had a male as a leading character, the story would not have been as captivating. I think the fact that a women took on the role of a man, and as a Lieutenant, is a great story that should be shared more often as an empowering story.

Although her secret weapon was not kept and she eventually confessed, there was no repercussions for her actions. I thought that was surprising considering the time era and her gender. Instead,”…the King Phillip IV,” rewarded her with a  for her services to the Crown.The Pope even allowed her to continue to dress as a man as long as she remained a virgin. The Pope allowing Catina to continue as a man stumped me, because of the past attitudes  towards women and the work that was acceptable.

 

Questions

1. What were the thoughts of women working in those times?
2. Were women even allowed to come to the New World during that time?
3. Why did the knight reward her for her servicing the Crown considering she was a women?
4. Why did the pope allow Catalina to continue?