The document profiles several individuals from Latin America between the 18th-20th centuries who played roles in political and social movements in their respective countries and time periods, including activists, revolutionaries, and others who pushed back against the status quo and advocated for various causes through their actions and experiences.

1. By Crystal Hernandez
His 151
Spring 2012

3.  Lived in Uruguay from 1762 to 1870
 She lived in “no man’s land”, which was
constantly being fought for between Brazil
and Argentina
 This aristocratic Female was responsible for
raising 13 children and managed family
estate.
 She was a frontier civilian and widowed
matriarch.

4.  Uruguay was plagued with “issues of royalism or
patriotism, of empire or independence” which was
overshadowed by “competition between Brazil and
Argentina and by the harshness of day to day life” (p. 27).
 Uruguay, specifically frontier, was the land of
opportunity, but also the land of danger
 Muniz’ experience suggests that competition was just as
common as cooperation.
 She lived during wars , such as in 1801, which brought
profit for her family through land grants and ability to
claim land.
 Cattle and land were their livelihood
 Maria suffered watching murders among children (her own
and grandchildren) due to political and economic unrest
 She left a legacy of frontier life which was a hard and
intense. She was also able to maintain culture and family
traditions despite hardships.

6.  Lived during mid-nineteenth century in Brazil
 In 1845, moved from the backlands province of
Pernambuco and settled in Areia (Carlota was a
survivor and refugee from drought in small
town, which affected families, economics, and fueled
migration to better land).
 Mistress of powerful liberal Paraiban
politician, named Joaquim José dos Santos Leal.
 Survived death sentence by leaving her politician
lover and dated the director of the penal
colony, released from prison in 1890, and died a free
women
 Land owning but of no social standing
 her impact of the mid-nineteenth century politics of
Brazilian province are historical significant because

7. General history:
 Gained political power through politician boyfriend after he left
Areia, took charge of his business, served as liaison between
humble clients and church
 1848, liberal party fell and conservatives occupied chief imperial
ministries with political upheaval
 Ordered the murder of a politician named Trajano Chacon, who
was a part of the conservative party (fighting for honor and
vengeance)
 Relevant to historical context due to the issues of:
 Women’s rights, image and expectations
 Reveals issues of class, gender, politics and justice
 Family-based politics of Brazil at the time (fathers and husbands were
to control and protect women and children and males were to
safeguarding family honor.
 Mirrors impact of liberal vs. conservative
 Her “story demonstrates not only that patron-client networks
protect women, but also that they sometimes allowed women, at
least in backwoods areas, to act independently” (p. 41).

9.  He was born in Zacatecas in 1856 to an elite family and
died in 1927. Lived during the rule of Porfirio Diaz in
Mexico.
 His occupation was a student of law, math and geology as
well as class jester. Represented traditional Mexican at the
moment of change.
 Earned the title “wise fool” in Mexico City based on
scientific inventions and earthquake prediction
 Expressed social apprehensions and represented popular
humor
 Ran for office against President Diaz in 1896 and 1900
(“drew attention to the farcical elections”(p. 65))
 “poking fun at government values, even indirectly, both
can provide a release for frustration and begin to undercut
the solid front of the regime” (p. 65-66).
 Explanation of “bad faith” in the midst of political growth
( p. 66).(town drunks, negative impacts, etc.)

10.  His mission was to confront the Profirians with display of
“bad faith” with pretense that something necessary is
voluntary. Reminds people that elections don’t have to be
uncontested, Diaz didn’t have to be
unchallenged, technology didn’t have to come from abroad
and inventions didn’t always do what they were suppose
to.
General History:
 Represents one facet of political inconsistency and satire
(standing against mainstream values)
 Uses his comical characteristics to deflect criticism of
colleagues and political opponents
 Utilized street corners to preach and melodrama as tactics
to deliver his message
 Represents an important stand against serious political
actor, such as Diaz.

11.  Set the course for future public health programs
and strategies to help mothers and children.
 Goals (based on commitment of personnel and
funding by private or public means):
 Plans to keep women and children by regulating
behavior and health
 Programs to give women more control over jobs
through education and improving work and home
conditions.
 Both worked for implementation of measures
that would improve the lot of the working class
in the capital city. Wanted a more activist
government.

12.  General History:
 They exemplified the commitment and
dedication of health workers and social
reformers
 Helped shape public policy and private efforts
aimed at reducing infant mortality rates and
communicable diseases(looked at women who
worked at home, factories and at the bordellos).
 Left legacy of concern for public health, child
care, working conditions that will continue to
gain private and public interest to fight effects
of modernization.

13.  1854-1928
 Emilio was a Buenos Aires doctor and city council member
 Among 1st class doctors at the University of Buenos Aires graduated
with a specialization in Public Health.
 Main goal: formation of public assistance
 Started career fighting epidemics, favored mandatory smallpox
vaccinations
 Accomplishments:
 Willing to advocated for unpopular policies
 established 1st comprehensive services to register and monitor wet nurses
 1880 become member of Public Health Board (resigned 1881)
 First defender of vagrants and successfully launched sponsored program
for transient men with food and lodging.
 Began campaign against tuberculosis
 Started hygiene program and milk distribution in schools
 Established Children’s Welfare Board
 Divided public health into two categories: public assistance and
sanitary services
 Assumed women should learn how to care for their children and
keep home hygienic.

14.  1866- Jan 7, 1907
 Born in France
 French school teacher, factory inspector, journalist, and
member of socialist party, and was an immigrant to
Argentina.
 Targeted unhealthy factory and the working-class homes
 Championed the political, economic and hygienic rights of
women and children who worked and lived in unacceptable
conditions.
 Accomplishments:
 Press secretary for the Argentine National Council of women
 Became 1st factory inspector
 Gave conferences to working women
 1st to support Socialist politicians
 Only female member of the party’s Executive Council
 One of the founders of Socialist Women Center

16.  Lived in the later years of 19th –early 20th century
 He was a son of a former slave with little formal
education, but knew about farming and harvests.
 In 1898, Juan was offered a contract at Pisco valley
on a cotton plantation of the Aspillaga family.
(decided on compañero agreement then moved up to
tenant).
 Also, worked as mule skinner.
 One of the most profitable cotton producers at
hacienda
 He was a resourceful Peruvian
campesino, encouraged by the opportunities
represented by the enlarged market agreed to
become a tenant farmer. For years he was successful
until he succumbed to the expanding haciendas that
created factories in the fields.

17.  Wrote letter to owners in 1918 when disagreement
arose.
 Lose rental contract in 1920 as result of letter
 Loss everything (tools, money and animals) but clothes on
back
 General History:
 Explains the hopes of those who left their homes for the
factories or fields of lowlands Peru.
 Illustrates salient issues of race and class
 Rental contracts between tenants and hacienda owners
are vague written agreements, but were instruments
that explain how plantation society functioned (often
involved working closely with plantation’s manager)
 Depicts loan-debt cycle that was difficult to pay off
 “silent” hard work was viewed as constructive while
personal challenges, such as letters, was seen as a
threat to the plantation system (p. 127).

18.  Political culture dominated by patron client relationship
that relay on power brokers, one was Pedro Crespo.
 Grew up in Temax, Mexico near the Gulf of Mexico and
lived from 1870 to Nov 1944
 Humble village origins became revolutionary prominent
military player
 Demonstrated prowess as soldier and made officer in local
guard, but became vengeful revolutionary
 “remembered as a man with a foot in both worlds” (p.
133).
 Stood with the establishment and interested in political
power
 Used hit and run tactics based on knowledge of terrain
 His story is an example of the struggle of what revolution
should represent, what kind of nation Mexico should be
and who should be considered Mexican.

19.  General History:
 Example of the conflict regarding what type of people
should be considered Mexican and the seriousness of
the conflict of the Mexican Revolution
 He arbitrated the political fortunes of
Temax, brokering power between
elites, villagers, and peons during the most volatile
juncture of revolutionary period.
 Became the Yucatan’s most successful insurgent at a
time when it was a political vacuum at the fall of Diaz
 Represents a regional revolutionary hero who left a
legacy that remains critical to politics in Mexico

21.  Lived 1910-1962 in Sao Paulo, Brazil
 A rebel who broke all rules and declared war against the
status quo
 Symbol of what was new, revolutionary and dangerous
 was an artist, writer, critic, and member of middle class
society
 Public Figure status – gained through her published
writings and politically agitating public displays
 Occupied her life with absorbing political taboos and
turning contemporary ideologies of Sao Paulo around
 Jailed for 4 ½ years by Brazilian government in 1931 (the
first women political prisoner), she grew disillusioned and
frustrated
 “Pagu’s vision, women could only achieve equality and
sexual liberation after poverty and class exploitation had
been eliminated” (p. 173).

22.  Monumental figure for:
 Women’s rights
 Worker’s causes
 Libertine culture
 Elimination of poverty and class exploitation
 Liberation from social norms
 View of bourgeoisie politicians as “parasites”
 Independence from “rich” aristocracies
 Never shrank from consequences of idealism
 Galvao lost friends, but impacted the “mental
horizons” of hundreds of thousands of people

23.  Born Dec 9, 1894 in Mataguά during Cuban
War of Independence (Parents were active
members of the war and revolutionaries in
their own right.)
 Teacher, Lawyer, revolutionary, reporter, adv
ocate and secretary general of the Cuban
delegation
 Lived in Cuba during 1930’s
 Politically active Cuban Woman, an example
of political voice whose prime was between
1923-1946 (arrested and jailed various times)
 Founder of various feminist organizations

24.  Known for her political attitudes on
 Significant for raising the question of women’s
rights in newly independent Cuba
 Spoke before political assemblies about women’s
rights
 Helped form Union Laborista de Mujeres
 Noted for understanding the psychology of her
jailers while imprisoned for political activism
 Ofelia’s personal honesty and passion is an
example of political terror and opportunity.
Dedication to a cause means revolution
regardless of the circumstances

26.  Lived through the 1980’s in Chile during the
“Dirty War” (p. 223).
 Middle aged, middle class house maker
 “only son and his fiancé disappeared” (p.
227).
 Involved with the Association of Relatives of
Detained –missing Persons ( principle founder
and leader)
 makes arpilleras, teaches Chilean folk music
and advocates for those missing.

27.  Her story helped me to see that “what is
political is also personal and how a country’s
politics affect the lives of all” (p. 237).
 Example of the intense sociopolitical climate
that caused the future election of a Marxist
president in Chile (Gossens in 1970)
 “…silence is our worst enemy” – Muller
 Spent her life committed to the exposure of the
severe torturous acts of the Chilean government
during this season of her life for the sake of her
son.
 “Most concrete example of what it means to
have a member of one’s family disappear” (p.
226).

28.  Set during early 1960’s in Sao Paulo Brazil
 Member of Christian Base Community
 Concerned with stimulating political
awareness and action in her community
through CEBs (social/politically active
church).
 Maria was part of this religious response to
oppression

29.  Sees Jesus Christ as the “liberator of the
poor and oppressed” and motivates her
actions.
 Significant because…
 these groups will never be internationally
recognized as political players
 Shows that the individual can make a difference
 Religion is inseparable from people and politics