Chilean History and Indigenous Cultures of America
Chilean History: A Global Perspective
After the conquest, the territory experienced similar historical processes as the rest of the American region, including the decline of Aboriginal populations and the establishment of colonial rule.
In the nineteenth century, Chile maintained ties with other Latin American countries, predominantly adhering to liberal ideologies.
The economy was primarily based on the production of industrial raw materials.
Historical Sources
Historical sources are the raw materials of history, encompassing all documents, testimonies, or objects that provide information. They are categorized as:
- Primary Sources: Created during the events themselves, without subsequent processing.
- Secondary Sources: Produced based on primary sources, such as books and articles.
The Role of the Historian
The first historian was Herodotus. Historians are responsible for critically and descriptively recounting past events. They work with various sources to gather appropriate information on events, processes, or phenomena related to human history. A historian is a professional who studies and writes history.
Mestizaje: Cultural Interrelation
Mestizaje refers to the process of interrelation (forced or voluntary) between two or more cultures, involving the mixing of religions, political beliefs, and other aspects.
Culture Defined
Culture is the result of past and present experiences.
Origin of the First People of America
- Florentino Ameghino: Proposed that people originated in the pampas of Argentina.
- Aleš Hrdlička: Suggested that people migrated through the Bering Strait via an ice bridge.
- Mendes Correa: Hypothesized that people advanced by sea from island to island, reaching Antarctica and then populating America.
- Paul Rivet: Proposed multiple origins, stating that no single theory is definitively more accurate than another.
Culture and Society
Culture: The lifestyle of a people.
Society: A group of individuals organized to share a common way of life.
Paradoxes of Culture
- Universal, yet with unique local variations.
- Stable, yet dynamic and variable.
- Influences our lives without necessarily changing our thinking.
Classification of Cultures by Political and Social Organization
- Banda Societies: Small, less complex groups of fewer than 200 people. They are nomadic hunters and gatherers, sometimes engaging in theft. Leadership is based on skill, such as the best hunter.
- Tribal Societies: Pastoralists and horticulturalists, with shamans often serving as social leaders.
- Chiefdoms: Sedentary societies with a hereditary chief. Surplus production is distributed by the chief.
- State Societies: Highly hierarchical with significant surplus production, leading to high specialization and a distinct social ladder.
Pre-Columbian Civilizations
Aztecs
According to legends, their god Huitzilopochtli instructed them to build their capital, Tenochtitlan, where they saw an eagle eating a snake on a cactus.
Located in south-central Mexico on Lake Texcoco, Tenochtitlan was established on one of its islands. The territory was divided into 20 capullis, administered by a calpulleque, with the Emperor as the communicator.
Men and women were separated during meals, and only the father could speak.
Maya
The Maya civilization spanned southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
- North: Dry climate with brush and limited water.
- Center: Tropical forest.
- South: Temperate and cold lands.
It was never a unified empire but consisted of alliances between cities without a central capital.
Incas
The Inca Empire stretched across Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, covering 3500 km from north to south.
Ayllu formed the basic social organization, with each ayllu being self-sufficient. Forced marriage was common.
The Sapa Inca held the highest political, military, economic, and social authority, considered a semi-god and child of the sun.
Major Gods: Viracocha (Creator), Inti (Sun God), Pachamama (Earth Mother), Mamaquilla (Moon God), and Pachamamac (God of Life).
Social Hierarchy
- High Nobility: Family of the Sapa Inca.
- Lower Nobility: Warriors, priests, governors, and senior officials.
- Merchants and Peasants.
- Slaves.