The Little Ice Age caused global cooling from the 14th to 19th centuries due to decreased solar activity, increased volcanic eruptions, and changes in ocean currents. This led to malnutrition, disease, lower food production, and isolated civilizations. The Americas experienced independence movements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The United States declared independence in 1776 and had a civil war from 1860-1865 over slavery. Canada gradually gained independence. Latin America had bloody battles for freedom but struggled to create stable governments. Violence was common in frontier areas of America as a way to assert honor and status. Politics in 19th century Brazil centered around family alliances. The Union realized it needed to fully target

1. Theme 1:History 141/Spring 2011Kelly Wagner

2. The Little Ice AgeCauses of the Little Ice Age: Decreased Solar Activity

3. Increased volcanic activity

4. Altered ocean current flows

5. Variability of global climate

6. ReforestationThe Way the World Was Affected: Malnutrition (which led to disease; Malaria and the “black death”)

7. Lower food production (including wine)

8. Civilizations were cut off from one another due to being blocked in or out by iceThe Americas in the Nineteenth Century The “Age of Independence” for the United States, Canada, and Latin AmericaPeople wanted EnlightenmentThese are the people who inspired others who wanted freedom, but also showed the hardships the new states were presented withEach of these states fought their own civil war to get where they wanted except Canada 1780’s: Declaration of Independence 1860’s: Civil War was sparked because of differences of slavery and rights of individual states. After the war slavery was abolished Canada won their independence gradually

9. During this time the war of 1812 united the differences among Canada because of the U.S. declaring war on Britain

10. Had this not occurred then there probably would have been a civil war in CanadaLatin America had a bloody battle for freedomThey tried to follow the United States by creating constitutions, but in the end lack of experience caused them to fail in creating a strong enough governmentThis was a time when military controlled everything, even politics Juan Manuel de Rosas (ruled from 1835-1852) used terror against rebellions; in the end he killed a total of 22,404 peopleThroughout the history of Latin America, rulers used terror as a tool and in the end he Mexican Revolution occurred with peasants and middle class trying to overthrow their dictator Porfirio Diaz In the end “the effort to build societies based on freedom, equality, and constitutional government was a monumental challenge only partially realized in lands characterized by enormous social, economic, and cultural diversity”