WE New Chapter

After independence from Spain, Latin American countries generally remained the same, in terms of the hierarchical structure; Spanish blooded people were at the top, and slaves at the bottom. Most countries had a caudillo; a man who was the leader of the country, and could assume total control of the country. Many people fought to become the caudillo. The most popular caudillo was Porfirio Díaz, the caudillo who ruled Mexico from 1876-1911. He built Mexico’s economy, and encouraged foreign trade.

Countries freed from Spain followed a general cycle called “The Boom-and-Bust Cycle.”In general, a country found something they could make a huge profit off, and that was the boom. Soon, however, another country could take over the production of the product, the product could run out, or something else having the capabilities of the product could be found. That was the bust. Then, the country would have to find a new product, and begin the cycle again.

Brazil was owned by a Portuguese monarch, and so it didn’t go through the same troubles as the former Spanish colonies. Brazil had multiple products including sugar, coffee, and cotton. Its government was originally a monarchy, but then transformed to a military rule, and then it finally became a republic. Brazil went through the boom and bust cycle, but not as severly as the other nations. The main occurance was when Brazil found rubber trees in their forests and were able to make products such as tires. However, a British man stole a tree, and then the British began their own production on the island of Manaus.

Porfirio Díaz, a powerful caudillo in Mexico

My Collapse Theory of the Maya

      My theory of why the Maya collapsed is supported by many elements such as botany, monuments, and agriculture. I think the Maya collapsed over a long period of time, about 400 years or so. Monuments and Botany support my idea of the Maya collapsing over a long period of time. In the Mayan city of Copán, there is an unfinished altar. On one of these sides, there is a date: February 10, 822 A.D. This is about the time the Maya suddenly disappeared. Botanic evidence contains Mahogany Pollen, a plant that grows in areas that contain tall forests. These samples date back to 1200-1250, and are taken from farming areas just outside Copán. Mahogany Pollen would not be present if the area was being farmed, which brings us to my theory of why the Maya disappeared. 

    I think that the Maya disappeared because of a dramatic change of climate, which is still going on today, that led to some problems in agriculture. Current farmers in the Copán Valley area say that they area getting less and less corn crops each year. This could have been happening in the Mayan decline, causing them to abandon their magnificent cities. The Mayas' main food supply was corn, and if they lacked corn, they were bound to get some disease. Anemia is a disease which is caused by the lack of iron in the blood. Of the skulls found at Copán, 80% show signs of anemia. Any person, whether high or low in the hierarchy system, could get it. There are skulls of peasants and of nobles with the disease. The Mayans were very desperate, and even started farming on steep hills. However, they did not have the great skill of the Incas, and debris starting raining down on houses, eventually eroding. 

    I think that the Maya tried everything they could think of, from sacrificing to the gods to farming on steep hills, to try to save their great cities. My theory states that the Mayas disappeared over a long period of time, about 400 years or so, and they recorded the start of their abandonment of their cities. I think they disappeared because of a huge change in climate that is still going on today, that caused their agriculture to fail. Since they had less food, many Mayans got anemia. Finally, the Mayans left their cities and went into the forests. 

         

A Mayan skull that may contain signs of anemia. 

There is an unfinished altar in Copán made about the time the Maya disappeared, 

which also has a date on it, and this may be it. 

Since the farming was not doing to great in the farming areas, 

the Mayas tried farming on hills such as these, with drastic results. 

Tribes in Peru before the Inca

                    These are pictures and dates of the 6 main Peruvian groups before the Inca. The tribes I have put pictures and dates of are: Chancay, Chimu, Moche, Nazca, Paracas and the Chavin. All together, the 6 groups flourished from 900 B.C.E. - 1500 A.D. 

 CHANCAY PICTURES (1000-1500 A.D.)

             

 

     CHIMU PICTURES (1100- 1400 A.D.)

                                    

        

        

    

MOCHE PICTURES (100- 800 A.D.)

  

NAZCA PICTURES (250-750 A.D.)

PARACAS PICTURES (600-175 B.C.E.)

CHAVIN PICTURES (900 - 200 B.C.E)