Untitled Flashcards Set

26th of July Movement

A Cuban political organization created in 1955, led by Fidel Castro, which overthrew President Fulgenio Batista's regime in 1959.

Allende, Salvador

Democratically elected socialist president of Chile from 1970 to 1973, overthrown in a U.S.-backed coup.

Alliance for Progress

A U.S. initiative launched by JFK in 1961 to promote economic development and prevent communism in Latin America.

Arbenz, Jacobo

President of Guatemala from 1951 to 1954, overthrown in a CIA-backed coup due to land reform policies.

Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez de

A Mexican general and politician known for his role in the Texas Revolution and multiple presidencies in the 19th century.

Banana Republics

Politically unstable Latin American countries dominated by foreign corporations, particularly fruit companies.

Banana Trade Wars

Economic conflicts between the U.S. and EU over banana import regulations in the late 20th century.

Banana Wars

U.S. military interventions in Central America between 1898 and 1934, aimed at protecting American business interests.

Bicameralism

A legislative system with two chambers, such as upper and lower houses, typical in many Latin American countries.

Bolivar, Simon

A military leader who played a key role in Latin America's independence from Spain in the early 19th century.

CAFTA_DR

A free trade agreement between the U.S., the Dominican Republic, and several Central American countries signed in 2004.

Caudillismo

A political system characterized by strong, charismatic leaders ruling through personal authority rather than democratic institutions.

Chapultepec Peace Accords

Signed in 1992 to end the Salvadoran Civil War, marking a transition toward democracy in El Salvador.

Checks and Balances

System ensuring that government branches maintain separate powers to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Clientelism

A political practice where politicians provide goods or services in exchange for political support.

Columbian Exchange

The transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between the Americas, Europe, and Africa following Columbus’s voyages.

Containment

A Cold War U.S. policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism, often justifying interventions in Latin America.

Contras and Iran Contra Affair

U.S.-backed rebels in Nicaragua; the scandal involving secret arms sales to Iran to fund them.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Decree

An official order issued by a government authority with the force of law, often used by executives.

Democracy, Electoral

A system where leaders are chosen through elections, but may lack broader democratic features.

Democracy, Hybrid

A political system combining elements of democratic and authoritarian rule.

Democracy, Presidential

A system where the president is directly elected by the people and serves as head of state and government.

Democracy, Procedural

Focuses on democratic processes like elections without ensuring broader democratic values.

Democracy, Semi-Presidential

A system with both a directly elected president and a prime minister accountable to the legislature.

Democracy, Substantive

Emphasizes civil liberties, social justice, and meaningful political participation.

Dollar Diplomacy

U.S. foreign policy aimed at extending influence in Latin America through economic investment.

Dom Pedro I

The first emperor of Brazil, who played a key role in Brazil’s independence from Portugal.

Dominant Party Regime

A political system where one party maintains power through electoral manipulation and weak opposition.

Electoral Authoritarianism

A system where elections occur but are neither free nor fair, allowing authoritarian leaders to maintain power.

Federalist Papers

Essays promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, influential in Latin American governance discussions.

Filibusters

American adventurers attempting to seize control of territories in the 19th century.

Gadsden Purchase (1854)

The U.S. acquisition of land from Mexico to facilitate a southern transcontinental railroad.

Good Neighbor Policy

A U.S. policy to improve relations with Latin America by reducing military interventions.

Granma

The yacht used by Fidel Castro and other revolutionaries to launch the Cuban Revolution.

Grito de Dolores

The call to arms issued by Miguel Hidalgo in 1810, marking Mexico's fight for independence.

Guerrilla

A member of an irregular military force using unconventional tactics against larger armies.

Guerrilla Warfare

A military strategy involving hit-and-run tactics used by small irregular forces.

Guevara, Ernesto “Che”

An Argentine Marxist revolutionary and a key leader in the Cuban Revolution.

Impeachment

A legal process to accuse and potentially remove a government official from office.

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)

A Marxist guerrilla group in Colombia involved in drug trafficking and armed conflict.

Sandinista National Liberation Front

A Nicaraguan revolutionary group that overthrew the Somoza dictatorship in 1979.

L’Ouverture, Toussaint

Leader of the Haitian Revolution, instrumental in securing Haiti’s independence from French colonial rule.

Latifundia

Large agricultural estates historically owned by wealthy elites in Latin America.

Manifest Destiny

19th-century belief that U.S. expansion across North America was justified by a divine mission.

Medidas Provisorias

Emergency measures enacted by governments during times of crisis.

Military Regime

A government controlled by the military, often following a coup d'état.

Monroe Doctrine

A policy asserting that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European colonization.

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)

A political party in Mexico that dominated from 1929 to 2000, characterized by clientelism and electoral manipulation.

NAFTA

A trade agreement signed in 1994 between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to eliminate trade barriers.

National Liberation Army (ELN)

A Marxist guerrilla group in Colombia involved in armed struggle and peace negotiations.

Oligarchic Regime

A governance system where power is held by a small, wealthy elite.

Operation Condor

A covert campaign of political repression by South American military dictatorships in the 1970s and 1980s.

Oversight

The process of monitoring government actions to ensure accountability.

Peron, Juan

An Argentine leader known for establishing the Peronist movement advocating for labor rights and social welfare.

Personalism/Personalist Regime

A regime where power is concentrated in the hands of a single charismatic leader.

Pink Tide

The wave of left-leaning governments emerging in Latin America in the early 2000s.

Pinochet, Augusto

Chilean general and dictator who led a coup against Salvador Allende in 1973.

Plan Colombia

A U.S. aid initiative aimed at combating drug trafficking and insurgency in Colombia.

Platt Amendment

A U.S. law allowing intervention in Cuban affairs, reinforcing American dominance in the region.

Political Linkage

Mechanisms connecting citizens to the state, facilitating communication and representation.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that political authority derives from the consent of the governed.

Populism

A political ideology representing ordinary people's interests against perceived elites.

Presidentialism

A political system centralizing executive power in a directly elected president.

La Reconquista

A movement seeking to restore monarchy in post-independence Mexico.

Representation

The act of electing official representatives to act on behalf of citizens.

Representation, Symbolic

Political leaders representing particular values or identities within a society.

Representation, Territorial/Regional

Distribution of political power geographically to ensure voices from various regions are heard.

Roosevelt Corollary

An extension of the Monroe Doctrine justifying U.S. intervention in Latin America.

San Martín, José de

A key figure in the South American independence movements against Spanish colonial rule.

Separation of Power

A doctrine dividing government into branches to prevent excessive power concentration.

Spanish-American War

A conflict between the U.S. and Spain over Cuban independence, leading to U.S. territorial acquisitions.

Standard Fruit Company

An American company influential in the banana trade, associated with the term 'banana republics'.

Term Limits

Legal restrictions on the number of terms an elected official can serve.

Third Wave of Democratization (Samuel Huntington)

A global trend of democratization occurring from the mid-1970s to the 1990s.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Treaty ending the Mexican-American War, ceding significant Mexican territory to the U.S.

Unicameralism

A legislative system with only one chamber.

USS Maine Incident

Explosion of the USS Maine in Havana harbor, sparking the Spanish-American War.

Veto

The power of an executive authority to reject decisions made by a legislative body.

Walker, William

An American filibuster who briefly ruled Nicaragua in the 19th century.

Westminster Model

A parliamentary democracy system characterized by a strong executive and accountability.

Yellow Journalism

A sensationalist style of journalism that exaggerates stories to attract attention.