History

NATIVE PEOPLE GROUPS

There are several indigenous people groups to South America. These groups have lived in South America for thousands of years. These groups have their own distinct culture and language. These groups also lived all over South America.

Yanomami

Warao

Watch the video below to learn more about the Inca people, then answer the questions on your assignment.

Use the website below to learn about other indigenous cultures to South America. On your assignment, compare and contrast TWO of the people groups on this website.

www.everyculture.com/South-America/index.html

EUROPEAN COLONIZATION

After Christopher Columbus' expeditions to the Americas (North, Central and South America), Spain and Portugal agreed to the Treaty of Tordesillas. This treaty divided the Americas between the two countries. However, it ignored any of the world's superpowers at the time, like the British and the French. These countries would claim land in South America as their own.

In c.a. 1533, Francisco Pizarro--a Spanish conquistador--overthrew the Inca civilization. They did this mostly through spreading diseases among the Inca. The Inca civilization is believed to have been over 150,00 people at the time of its conquest.

For over the next 350 years, Spain and Portugal would control South America. The French, British and Dutch would colonize areas as well over this time period. However, the vast majority of South America was controlled by the Spanish and Portuguese.

This image shows the history of South American colonization and independence.

INDEPENDENCE

For the past 200 years, South American countries have gained their independence from the countries that colonized them. Many of today's South American countries have cultural ties both to the indigenous and European people.

One person that helped lead many South American countries to freedom was Simón Bolívar. With help from Haiti, he took control of Venezuela from Spain. From here he was able to help other countries gain their independence from Spain.

Brazil gained its independence through a series of political events and battles from 1821-1824. In 1822, Brazil's leader, Dom Pedro, declared independence from Portugal. Portugal didn't officially recognize Brazil as its own country until a treaty was signed in 1825

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