Modern Latin America

Monday's class was one of the more interesting classes we've had. For Professor Stark's part of the class, we had Peter Guardino, a professor from Indiana University, give a lecture on the Mexican Revolution. The most significant idea that I learned and thought about was indigenismo. This idea of indigenismo was basically finding a way to incorporate the indigenous population into Mexican society. Professor Guardino discussed how it was often the solution to try and eradicate the indigenous culture to help with the transition into a new society and creation of a new Mexican identity. This idea of a Mexican identity was also shown within the documentary we had to watch for Professor Serrata's part of the class. They talked about how many Mexican muralists had created these public paintings to show the history and ideals that showed the Mexican culture and identity that will be created. However, what exactly is the identity that they have? Does the whole country of Mexico...

Nice blog Angela! I enjoyed reading your blog and relating the economic similarities of the past and present. I mean we are learning about how modern Latin America came to be! Anyways, I looked at your article and thought of the questions you asked within your blog. I wonder the same things too. It's just interesting to look back and think of how these laws that you mentioned played out, and how many reacted. You also brought up something I did not think of. You discussed their wealth being used by foreign countries instead of themselves. However, I do wonder if this was because their debts that they owe many countries. All in all this was a good blog, and I enjoyed reading it!

The last couple of classes we have been discussing Mexico and their interesting past and revolution. In Professor Stark's part of the class we have been talking about how Porfiriato Diaz came into power and his actions and life as president of Mexico. I found it interesting how he controlled the country as long as he did. With coming up with certain laws that prevented reelection he was able to get control. Then as he continued to control Mexico, he was able to get a successor who believed in the same principles as he did which didn't really change power because it was still Diaz's ideas. After the term of his successor he was able to regain power of Mexico. As we talked about in class, this made me really think about Santa Anna and his experience with Mexico. In Professor Serrata's part of the class we have been reading the book The Underdogs  which is about the Mexican Revolution. It has been a really interesting book, and it makes me think about how different people ...

This post was so relatable. I do agree with you that history is starting to be really frusturating when we begin to discuss different perspectives. In high school, I learned about the Spanish/American War too. I was taught the perspective of the United States. However, now that I know the Cubans were also a part of the war, it makes me wonder how they just excluded them when they did a lot on their own. I understand that the United States did intervene, but as you wrote in your blog, they only had themselves in mind. It's just interesting and shocking that a lot of important events and people we discussed in high school weren't as they seemed. It's just a matter of who's perspective it is viewed in. Great blog and great connection

I too was baffled when we became aware of the information we had been taught in high school had been morphed into events that favored the United States. However, I wasn't too surprised either. As we have been reading and discussing the perspectives of the Latin American people, we have been learning new ways of looking at certain aspects in history that we were taught in grade school. These past couple of classes we have been discussing the Spanish/CUBAN/American war. I capitalize "Cuban" because before these last two weeks, I always thought the war was only between the United States and Spanish. Although, we now know the Cubans were also part of the war. Which is really interesting that we never went over this in high school. This makes me also wonder on the perspectives that others around the world have on other historical events. Do all countries have their schools teach their own view on past events? Also, if other countries do teach events that happened in a differen...

I really enjoyed reading this post! It's interesting that you relate Disney movies to the events that occurred in the past. When you described Cinderella as barbaric and the rest of her family as civilized, I realized that society is portrayed in certain ways and anything different seems to be barbaric. No matter what skin color someone is, if they live a different life then they can be seen as uncivilized in the perspective of that society. However, it is also shown how she goes from a barbaric lifestyle to a civilized one. So it's not Cinderella who's barbaric, rather it is her uncivilized lifestyle that portrays her as barbaric.