The Latin American History Podcast

To celebrate the 100th episode of the Latin American History Podcast, today we have a special episode (the first of two parts) on Latin American music. In this one we look at the significant contribution made by Latin America's Afro-descended populations on many of the region's genres. We discuss some of the musical techniques used in genres such as Salsa, Son, Cumbia, Samba and Bachata, t...

It has been quite a while since we looked at what was happening in Spain and Portugal, and while they have not often been directly relevant to the story of Latin America, things are about to change. In this episode we look at the contemporary kings of Iberia and why, although their reigns did saw huge growth in their New World empires, they generally considered them to be an afterthought. Support...

In 1555 the Kingdom of France took the dramatic step of attempting to colonise Brazil. This was the first time that a non-Iberian nation had challenged Portuguese and Spanish hegemony on the continent and would set a precedent which would later be followed by other European powers. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inqu...

Hugo Wong's book 'America's Lost Chinese' tells the fascinating - and often forgotten - story of a group of Chinese emigrees who made a home for themselves, first in California and then Mexico. It is a story which spans the full spectrum of human experience – involved in it are meetings with presidents and successful business ventures, but also revolution, discrimination, and massa...

In the final part of our series on the conquest of Chile, the conquering stops and a long drawn-out war begins. This will begin a pattern which will continue to the present day, as the Mapuche people fiercely resist outside incursions. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & O...

The next phase of Valdivia's campaign was one of expansion. Things were going well, and new settlements were founded. It wasn't all easy however, he faced internal dissension and difficult weather slowed his progress. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: ht...

After all his difficulties preparing for his expedition, Valdivia was finally ready to march down into central Chile. While what he found there wasn't as inhospitable as his countrymen back in Peru believed it to be, it wasn't easy either. The first years of his new colony were a constant struggle to survive as setbacks came from every direction. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle...

Today we start a series on the conquest of Chile. In today's episode we introduce the main protagonists, and the difficulties preparing for a venture which most Spaniards thought was madness. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Almost at the same time that Miguel de Buria was founding his brief free kingdom, another man was doing the same in Panama. Bayano would prove to be even more of a problem for the Spanish than his counterpart in Venezuela. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https...

Today's episode is an interview with Camilla Townsend about her new book The Aztec Myths. In it we discuss the origins of the Aztec, the workings of their calendar, the codices which provide us with a vital insight into the Aztec world, and how Aztec religious practices were impacted by Christianity after the conquest. The book can be pre-ordered here: https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/...

By 1550 the slave trade had begun to form an important part of Spain's imperial economy, and increasing numbers of people were being imported to work in its plantations and mines. Where there are slaves however, there is resistance and in Venezuela a group managed to break free and form their independent settlement. This is the story of Miguel de Buria and battle against the Spanish Kevin'...

After wasting a lot of time and money following rumours of riches and precious metals, De Coronado had a choice to make - go home, try to make the best of what he had found, or set off on another wild goose chase. The link to the article about the new research into De Coronado's route: https://knowridge.com/2024/02/scientists-discover-possible-coronado-expedition-relic-in-texas-panhandle/ Supp...

De Coronado set off to try and find Cibola following de Nizza's dubious directions. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

El Dorado wasn't the only mythical city which was inspiring the Spanish to march out into the unknown. Somewhere beyond the deserts of northern Mexico, it was thought that there was another. Today we follow de Coronado as he begins his search for the golden city of Cibola, and reunite with Estevanico who we met on the Narvaez expedition. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lati...

Today we have a special episode - an interview with Allen Wells about his new book Latin America's Democratic Crusade. Allen's book examines the 20th century and argues that, despite the preoccupations within the USA about the Cold War, for many inside the region a different battle was playing out. Not Communism versus Capitalism, but democracy versus dictatorship. The book will be publish...

After finding it such hard going, today the Montejos will finish their conquest. That doesn't mean that it will be easy however, to go forwards they will have to take some more steps backwards. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Montejo came back for another go at conquering the Yucatan, and this time he decided to approach it from a different angle. Would he be any more successful this time? Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Yucatan peninsula formed a big unconquered space between several of the Spanish empire's most important colonies. In 1526 a man named Francisco de Montejo decided it was time to try and bring it under his control. Upon arrival, he faced a difficult natural environment and a Maya population who had no intention of giving up their sovereignty. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/...

While the Spanish were expanding across South America, there was a vast gap in the land they controlled. The River Plate looked like a promising place for would-be conquistadors, and was only a matter of time before somebody tried to conquer it. Doing so turned out to be much more difficult that anticipated. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusi...

After a long period of ignoring the Americas, eventually Portugal made it's first efforts to colonise the land they had been allotted in Brazil. It would be a patchy and difficult process, but eventually they managed to establish an administration on which they could start to build. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising...

With the Spanish expanding into the north west corner of South America, aspiring conquistadors were on the look out for new lands which they could conquer. One of these, Francisco de Orellana, set out on an expedition to find the mythical land of cinnamon, said to be somewhere to the east. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertis...

Now that the German bankers had control of Venezuela, it's time to find out what they did with it. This episode covers the succession of governors who were put in charge of the colony, and their largely unsuccessful expeditions into the interior Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/bran...

What links an oil rich nation in the north of South America, the Italian city of Venice, and a German banking family? Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Quesada and Belalcazar make their way from different directions, up into Central Colombia. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-latin-american-history-podcast/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The land which connected the Spanish heartland in the Caribbean with Pizarro's new conquest in Peru - what we call Colombia today - was still unknown to the Spanish, and for all the riches of they had discovered in the Inca empire, it was here that the gold they craved was to be found in abundance. In this episode we look at the first attempts to move into the interior and connect up Peru with...