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  3. Latin American History

Latin American History

Latin America encompasses Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, including all of South America as well as Mexico, Central America, and islands of the Caribbean. Latin American history saw colonization by the Spaniards and Portuguese, from the 15th through the 18th century, as well as independence movements in the early 19th century.

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Gallant DefenceThe Texan defenders of the Alamo fighting Mexican soldiers within the walls of the fortress. Davy Crockett (1786 - 1836), centre right, with his rifle above his head, died in the siege. (Photo by MPI/Getty Images)

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Battle of the Alamo

Early History of the Alamo Spanish settlers built the Mission San Antonio de Valero, named for St. Anthony of Padua, on the banks of the San Antonio River around 1718. They also established the nearby military garrison of San Antonio de Béxar, which soon became the center of a settlement known as San Fernando de […]

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Palenque Archeological site.Pre-Columbian Art. Maya. Mexico. 7th - 8th centuries. Palenque Archaeological Site, set of buildings constructed on an artificial platform. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. State of Chiapas. (Photo by: PHAS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Mexico Timeline

From Ancient Mesoamerica to the Toltecs c. 8000 B.C.The first human experiments with plant cultivation begin in the New World during the early post-Pleistocene period. Squash is one of the earliest crops. This agricultural development process, which continues slowly over thousands of years, will form the basis of the first villages of Mesoamerica (including Mexico […]

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Cuban guerilla leader and future dictator Fidel Castro and associates as they cheer and raise their weapons and fists in the air on the CBS News Special Event 'Rebels of the Sierra Maestra,' Cuba, 1957. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

Cuban Revolution

The Cuban Revolution was an armed uprising led by Fidel Castro that eventually toppled the brutal dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista by 1959.

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Struggle for Mexican Independence

Background to Mexican Independence  The land that is now Mexico fell into Spanish hands in August 1521 when Hernán Cortés and his army of conquistadors toppled the Aztec empire, ushering in three centuries of colonial rule and importing new diseases that decimated once-flourishing native populations. Under orders from the Spanish king, Charles V, Cortés founded […]

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The Mariel Boatlift: a Cold War-Era Mass Exodus of Cubans to the U.S.

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The Mariel Boatlift: How Cold War Politics Drove Thousands of Cubans to Florida in 1980

After Fidel Castro loosened emigration policies, some 125,000 Cubans landed on U.S. shores over a span of five months.

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A dance with men in dresses paired with men in suits on November 20, 1901, known as the “The Dance of the 41." (Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

41 Has a Secret Meaning in Mexico, Thanks to a Queer Underground Ball

The ‘Dance of the 41’ changed the way that Mexico interpreted gender and sexuality forever.

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A Timeline of U.S.-Cuba Relations, Cuban Rebels

A Timeline of US-Cuba Relations

Before Fidel Castro and the Cold War chill, America and Cuba shared close economic and political ties.

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Che Guevara billboard

The Epic Motorcycle Trip That Turned Che Guevara Into a Revolutionary

A coming-of-age adventure through five South American countries set Che Guevara on the path to becoming a Marxist revolutionary.

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1:53 minTV-PG
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Cinco de Mayo

Ever wonder why May 5th is celebrated in the U.S. and Mexico? Get the full story.

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(Original Caption) Mexico: The Mexican Independence Day scene in Plateros street, Mexico City.
3:34 minTV-PG

Struggle for Mexican Independence

8 U.S. states exist on land that used to belong to Mexico. Learn more about Mexico’s history!

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2:33 minTV-14

Deconstructing History: Alamo

It has become the site and symbol of the battle for Texan independence, but there is much more to the story. Find out why Americans will always remember the Alamo.

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2:32 minTV-PG

Ask HISTORY: What does it mean to “draw a line in the sand”?

Where does this common expression come from? Get the full story.

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This Day in History

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1972

Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashes in the Andes

Latin American History
1959

Fidel Castro arrives in Havana after deposing Batista’s regime

Latin American History
1817

Revolutionary leader José de San Martín routs Spanish forces in Chile

Latin American History

This Day in History: 10/09/1967 – Che Guevarra Killed

Latin American History

This Day In History: 02/24/1836 – Alamo Calls for Help

Latin American History

This Day In History: 01/01/1959 – Batista Ousted by Castro

Latin American History
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