Custom «Latin Americans» Essay Paper Sample

Latin American has a long and vast history. The primary groups in the pre 19^th century were the Maya in Mexico and Guatemala, the Inca in Peru, the Tupi-Guarani in Brazil and neighboring countries and the Aztec in Mexico. Before the coming of the Europeans that influenced their way of life greatly, the Native Americans had governing philosophies and religion that were linked and tied up with nature closely. They solely believed in the existence of the supernatural and their philosophies focused on making an effort to appease the spirits and the gods. During the 17th and 19^th century the Latin American philosophies reinforced medieval ideas that translated to their way of life Hughes (2000).

According to Edwin (1992), these philosophies impacted on the culture of Latin Americans. Evidences for the impact would be the acceptance of the master–servant relationship and the adoption of medieval systems of land ownership. The philosophies of North America and Europe integrated into the cultures of Latin Americans, eventually leading to westernization of their ways of life.

The folks and the elite caudillos played a significant role in defining the society of Latin Americans. The elite caudillos bestowed benefits on the nations they governed: they are credited for improving and modernizing the infrastructure of the Latin America countries by bequeathing material improvements to their nations. Their leadership was characterized as strong, charismatic influence. They brought stability into countries that were disrupted after independence. The caudillos worked with the army, the Catholic Church, the folks and individually to assert their personal power Edwin (1992).

According to Benjamin &Haines (1994), the Europeans’ arrival in Latin America led to a redefinition of their concept of living. The coming of the Europeans has even brought changes into the eating habits. New foods, animals and irrigation methods were introduced and substantially interfered with the natural environment. These factors led to the change in beliefs and practices of most Latin Americans, and have impacted their life perception. Also Europeans led to the adoption and integration of European countries' models of development. In conclusion, therefore, the arrival of the Europeans brought revolutionary changes to the Latin Americans social, political and economic aspects that redefined their lives henceforth.