Decolonization In America - Summary On A Map Review

She tapped a region on the map representing the late 18th and early 19th centuries. On the screen linked to the map, a timeline began to pulse. "The first wave was political decolonization," Elena explained. "Look at how the map changes between 1776 and 1825. Huge blocks of British, Spanish, and Portuguese colonial territory suddenly fracture and shift colors. You see the thirteen colonies break away to become the United States. Then, you see the brilliant spark of the Haitian Revolution in 1804—the only successful slave revolt in history that created a free nation. Down south, Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin are sweeping across the Andes, erasing Spanish viceroyalties to draw the borders of new independent republics like Colombia, Peru, and Argentina."

Mateo nodded, recognizing the names from his textbooks. "So that's the end of the story? The European powers leave, new flags go up, and the map is finished?" Decolonization in America - Summary on a Map

She pointed to the United States and Canada. Bold arrows pushed westward, representing forced removals like the Trail of Tears, while shaded zones showed the massive loss of Native American lands. Similar patterns appeared in the Amazon basin and the southern plains of Argentina. "The new governments wanted resources and land. They drew their maps right over thousands of years of indigenous history, confining native populations to smaller and smaller pockets." She tapped a region on the map representing