1. What role did the military play in shaping the economy of Brazil?

The military was in control of Brazil. They emphasized economic growth, some generals
fostered foreign investment. They began huge development projects and put Brazil in deep
debt. The military also jailed, tortured or killed government critics.

2. What were some of the positive benefits of one-party rule in Mexico?

Mexico elected several generals as president, these men did not rule as military dictators. They
did create a ruling party- the national revolutionary party. President Lazaro Cardenas tried to
improve life for peasants and workers. He carried out land reforms and promoted labor rights.
He nationalized Mexican oil, turning away foreign oil companies.

3. What effect did the Falklands war have on the military government in Argentina?
The war with Britain took away all hope from the generals and they agreed to step down. This
led to the countrys first free election in 37 years.
4. Review the chart of Population Living in Poverty
[A] In which three countries of La tin America is the percentage of people living in poverty the
Lowest? Uruguay, Chile and Argentina
[b] In which three countries is the poverty rate highest? Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia
5. After reading this excerpt, in your opinion, has the military dictatorships in L.A. nations been bad
or good for the nations' growth? Explain your answer in two paragraphs [minimum].
In my opinion, I think that there are many great things that happened while there were military
dictatorships but overall, I think there were many negatives. Military dictatorship is harsh and cruel,
there is no room for debate. Military dictatorship does not pave the way towards a democracy, it scares
people and makes them only want to rebel against the government more. In many Latin American
countries, people would disappear overnight, and never be heard from again. That is crazy! People are
stripped of their basic human rights, they are tortured, jailed sometimes killed for expressing their
opinions. Military dictatorships are not a good thing and while some may have been successful in
making the economy grow I think that they are harsh and cruel and do not do any good. Military
dictatorships do not allow democracy, they dont allow freedom of speech. They make people scared
and want to revolt more. There are no free elections and people have to live with harsh guidelines on
everyday life.
While reading, define/explain each term or name below and write a sentence regarding its
significance to the topic:
a. Brasilia: New capital city in Brazil, built by Kubitschek.

b. Land reform: Breaking up large estates and distributing the land to peasants.
c. Standard of living: Level of material comfort, which is judged by the amount of goods people
have.
d. Recession: Slowdown in the economy.
e. PRI: Institutional Revolutionary Party, main force for political stability in Mexico.
f. NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement. This removed trade barriers between Mexico, the
US, and Canada.
g. Nationalization of an industry: Making it world-renowned.
h. Welfare state: a government that tries to provide for all its citizens needs, including health,
education and employment.