Guatemala and the Spanish conquest

Type :

Presentation

Pages :

6 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

10/06/2008

Category :

Political science

Sub category :

Political science

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Summary :

Introduction.
1. The sixteenth century - a crucial period in Central American history.
The Mayan civilization - literate and complicated.
1. A mild economic system.
the time of Spain's interest in the Central American lands and industrialization.
The Spanish conquest of the territory that is now Guatemala.
Enslaving the Indians.
More contributing factors to the decline of the Indian population.
Alvarado's proclamation that Santiago was the capital of New Spain.
The New Laws instituted by Alonso Lopez Cerrato.
Conclusion - Spain's financial misfortunes.

Abstract

Spain mercilessly imposed it control over the territories that today encompass Central America. Enslavement and European diseases severely depopulated the indigenous civilizations, and the territories that made up New Spain became heavily Iberian in nature not by influence but rather by force. Although this period meant drastic decimation for many natives, several original native populations have survived. guatemala was by no means an exception to the atrocities that resulted from the spanish infiltration, but more Guatemalans managed to salvage their Mayan cultures by hiding their religious practices and certain customs from the Spaniards. Many pre-Columbian traits still exist today in guatemala, such as the names of places and objects, certain cultural traditions and even some of the ancient Mayan languages are still spoken.