This study guide addresses all of the content discussed in LAS208 at Miami University that could appear on the Final Exam. All information from the slides was taken from in class lectures and presentations.
Final Exam Study Guide
20th and 21st Century Latin America
Wednesday, December 11th
United Fruit-Chiquita Bananas
Chiquita Bananas, formerly the United fruit company, is a major marketer and distributor of
bananas and other fruits, globally. However, the company has received lots of criticism for their
shady business practices, including creating international conflict. The main issues are as
follows.
1954 Guatemalan Coup:
- Exploiting countries for their commodities
- In 1950, Guatemalan president Jacobo Árbenz implemented agricultural reforms
which redistributed unused land from big landowners to poorer farmers
- The coup cemented the image of U.S. imperialism in Latin America
- The ensuing civil war (1960–1996) resulted in the deaths of over 200,000 people,
many of whom were indigenous civilians.
- United Fruit lobbied extensively in Washington, portraying Árbenz as a
communist threat
- The CIA orchestrated a covert operation to overthrow Árbenz.
- High ranking U.S. officials including the Secretary of state and CIA Director had
financial and professional ties to United Fruit.
- Example of corporate influence on foreign policy
Payments Made to Colombian Paramilitary Groups:
- 2007 U.S. Department of Justice fine of $25 million
- Groups designated as terrorist organizations
- In June 2024, a U.S. federal court ordered Chiquita to pay $38.3 million to
families of victims killed by these paramilitary groups
- 13 different individuals accused of crimes against humanity
- Exploiting countries for their commodities
Mexican Revolution
Important Characters:
Porfirio Díaz: Dictator and the catalyst for the revolution (President 1876-1911).
- Run for president against Benito Juarez /revolted against Juarez(1871)
- Amnestied by President Lerdo de Tejada in1872
- Dictator/ United the Upper Class /
- Liberal Oligarchic Regime (LOR): A power structure in which the power
rest with a small number of people
- Mexico flourished with foreign investment (Over a Billion dollars in
railroad, mines, oil)
- Resentment due to gap between classes
Francisco Madero: Initiator of the Mexican Revolution
- Modern Urban Reformist, assassinated in 1913, causing a civil war
- Author of the book “The Presidential Succession of 1910” against Diaz
- Failed to provide and secure economic changes for the lower classes
, - A wealthy landowner and political reformer, Madero advocated for
democracy and opposed Porfirio Díaz's long dictatorship.
Victoriano Huerta: Counter-revolutionary dictator (1850-1916)
- Assigned as a chief of staff under Madero
- Led a conspiracy against Madero
- A general who betrayed Madero and seized power in 1913 through a coup
(La Decena Trágica).
- Imprisoned Madero and shot him and Madero’s vice-president Pino
Suarez
- Proclaimed himself president of Mexico
- He was immediately opposed by revolutionary forces (led to a civil war)
- Defeated by the constitutionalist forces
- resigned in 1914, fled to the U.S.
- Plotting with the Germans, arrested and died in prison in the U.S.
Venustiano Carranza: (President 1917-1920)
- Led the forces against Victoriano Huerta.
- Modern Rural Reformist.
- Nationalist (not in favor of U.S.interventionist policies)
- Under his presidency Mexico remained neutral in WWI
- Favored political, but not social reform
- Drafted the Mexican constitution (reluctant to reforms in the constitution).
- The president did little to enact those provisions.
- Assassinated in 1920
Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata: Leaders of the Mexican revolution (Villa
Traditional Urban/Zapata Traditional Rural )(Presidential Palace 1914)
- They fought against Diaz and later against Madero and Carranza.
- Villa and Zapata supported the lower classes.
- Villa northern Zapata southern
- After their death became Icons of Mexican popular culture
Emiliano Zapata (1879-1919)
- Did not recognized the authority of Carranza
- Ambushed by the Carranza troops he was killed in 1919
Pancho Villa (1878-1923)
- It is suspected that his assassination was ordered by president Obregon
Alvaro Obregon: President 1920-1924
- Was a general under the Modern Urban Reformist.
- Promoter of educational program by Jose Vasconcelos
- Assassinated in 1928 before his second term as president
Lazaro Cardenas: A Transformational Mexican Leader
- Military background (military general in the constitutionalist army)
- Socialist program (Expropriation and
- Nationalization of Oil in Mexico in 1938)creation of Pemex (government
oil company)
- Revived agrarian reform in Mexico (expropriating large land states and
distributing to small collective holdings(ejidos)
- First 6 year term president
, - Considered by many as the most popular Mexican president in the 20th
century
Mexican Constitution 1917
Article 3: Education Reform (Free, obligatory and secular at primary level)
Article 27: Land reform (No foreign company or foreign individual could own
more than 50% of property or Mexican company, redistribution of land,nationalization of
natural resources (oil))
Article 123: Labor reform (8hr work day, maternity leave, minimum wage, child
labor regulations)
Revolution in Quadrants:
Modern
Modern-Urban (Obregonistas) Modern-Rural (Carrancistas)
- Urban Workers, Middle - Large Landowners
Class - Modern Agriculture
- Political Reformers - Nationalist – foreign
- Political Reform → Labor competition
Reform - Secular
- Secular - Protestantism - Democracy – protect their
- Improved Standard of interests
Living - Modernize Mexico
- Marxist Revolution
- Newly arrived urban - Agrarian Workers/Peasants
workers - Connection to
- Displaced by Land/Traditions
modernization - Strong Folk Catholicism
- Change – not sure how - Land Reform
- Mostly Catholic - Religious Protection
- Land/Labor Reform - Agrarian Revolution
- Not be left out of
Revolution
Traditional
Global Conflicts affecting Latin America
The Great Depression and World War II had a major impact because Latin America could not
continue lending programs from europe.
1st Economic Crisis War World I (1914-1918)
- Earlier period economic bust/Low demand for L.A. commodities
- Later period rising cost of imports
- Ex. Cuban Dance of the Millions
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