Ayumi Nghiem A3 CCOT: 1500-1800 Latin America In the 1500 of Latin America was non-independent up until the 1800,

, nor did trading increase up until then, however religious views only became stronger. Latin America remained in European control in 17th century (around 1600s) and struggled for independence. A series of movements for independence, led by Jos de San Martin, Simn Bolvar, and others, swept Latin America in the early 19th century. Federal republics were promulgated across the region. Between 1810 and 1825, most of Spain's former colonies had declared and won independence and had divided up into republics. Living in colonial Latin America (1520s-1530s) was costly. Prices were high throughout the region when compared to Europe. However, nominal wages were also high. As the region was the world's most important producer of silver, and wages and prices were measured in terms of that commodity, this result is not surprising; silver was relatively cheap there. This effect was stronger for the Potosi region; seat of one the main silver mines in the Americas. The main findings are that real wages in Mexico (and probably elsewhere) reacted. It was then that population recovery started driving real wages down to subsistence levels in Mexico around 1800. The real wages upward trend was rather slow compared with Western Europe. The real wages were initially low due to the early stages of development of the labor market and the forms of labor coercion established by the Spaniards. In the Andes region (Peru, Colombia, and Chile) you cant find equally high real wages, and the rise above subsistence occurs later in the period suggesting continued labor scarcity during 18th century. In Potosi (Bolivia), the main silver mining center in South America, wages were high, in particular for free laborers.

Portugal and Spain created vast colonies in South America in the 1500s. Portugal claimed most of eastern South America. Spain claimed the western part of the continent as well as much of the northern coast. The largest settlements were in Brazil (Portugal) and Peru (Spain). Catholic missionaries worked in all these Spanish and Portuguese possessions. Religion played a continual role throughout the 1500s up until 1800s. The vast majority of Latin Americans are Christians, mostly Roman Catholics. About 70% of the Latin American population consider themselves Catholic. Membership in Protestant denominations is increasing, particularly in Brazil and Venezuela. Spains empire in the Americas included a vast region called New Spain. It included Central America, Mexico, Florida, and much of the southwestern part of what became the United States. Catholic priests built missions in all these areas to convert Native Americans. In California, Junipero Serra began a chain of missions in the 1700s that stretched from San Diego to San Francisco Bay. Throughout the history between the 1500s to 1800s, Latin America has made an impact in its independence from Europe, increasing economic values, but their religious views socially became stronger.