LibGuides: Latin American History & Culture: Modern Latin American History & Current Issues

Indigenous Peoples

'Quechua Weaver & Son." Mark Sun. 2007. flickr. Used under creative commons license.

Survival International
"We help tribal peoples protect their lives, lands and human rights."
Amazon People and Culture of Ecuador (Ecuadorexplorer.com)
"Ecuador's indigenous Amazon peoples have a variety of cultures, languages, and traditions. Comprised of the Siona, Secoya, Cofan, Shuar, Zaparo, Huaorani, and Quichua, among others, Ecuador's Amazon peoples have largely preserved their cultures throughout centuries of conquest by the Inca, the Spanish, and later, foreign oil companies."
Cultures of the Andes
"Music, photos, poems, and stories from the Andes mountain region of South America, which includes artists from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile. Information is variously provided in English, Spanish, and the Quechua indian language."

News Resources

US Hispanic Newsstream
Latin American Newsstand is a GBS Library subscription database that requires a username/password combination for off-site access. See the box below for access information.

Home Access to Databases

All GBS Library databases and e-books are accessible from home with your GBS Username & Password.

If you see the screen shown below, use your GBS username and password (the same ones you use to login to the GBS computers & Power School) to log in:

If you don't see this screen but are still asked for a username and password:

Click HERE** to access the old-school password list and use the passwords on the list to log in.

If you are having login trouble, please let the Library know by filling out this brief Login Problems Form so we can fix it.

**You will have to be logged into your GBS Google Apps account to access the document.

GBS Library Geography & Culture Databases

These resources require passwords for off-site access. See box at bottom left for access information.

Daily Life Online
Excellent resource for historical and cultural research.

Gale Global Issues
Browse by topic or region, or use the keyword search.
CultureGrams
Browse by region or search by country name.

Discovering Collection: Geography
Browse by topic or search the collection by keyword or subject.
Discovering Collection: Cultures
Browse by topic or search the collection by keyword or subject.

World History: The Modern Era
Covers history from the Renaissance to today.

Lands & Peoples
An encyclopedia of countries, cultures, and current events.
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online)
Excellent resource for research and scholarship in international affairs.

Web sites on Various Latin American Topics

Brooklyn Expedition: Latin America
"This fun, colorful site from the Brooklyn Children's Museum introduces children (and adults!) to Latin American culture and history. You can choose from topics as diverse as holidays, animals, ancient beliefs and rituals, and many more."
Borderlands Encyclopedia: A Digital Educational Resource on Contemporary United States-Mexico Border Issues (University of Texas at El Paso)
"The goal of The Borderlands Encyclopedia is the design, development and implementation of a multimedia instructional resource on contemporary issues of the U.S.-Mexico border for broad-based distribution to other educational agencies utilizing the WWW and CD-ROM technologies."
LANIC (Latin American Network Information Center)--University of Texas
"LANIC's mission is to facilitate access to Internet-based information to, from, or on Latin America. Our target audience includes people living in Latin America, as well as those around the world who have an interest in this region. "
Political Database of the Americas (Georgetown University)
"Through its website, the PDBA offers centralized and systematized information about institutions and political processes, national constitutions, branches of government, elections, political constitutional studies and other subjects related to the strengthening of democracy in the region."
Online Literary Criticism: Latin American (20th Century)

Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture (e-Book)

Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture (2008)
"Provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary view of Latin American history and culture from prehistoric times to the present. Covers cultural issues and includes numerous biographical profiles of important figures in politics, letters and the arts."

General Country Resources

BBC News Country Profiles
"Full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions."
Country Studies (Library of Congress)
"The Country Studies Series presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world."
CIA World Factbook
"The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities."
North America (National Geographic)
Brief country overviews, gorgeous photographs, current issues, and more.
South America (National Geographic)
Brief country overviews, gorgeous photographs, current issues, and more.

The Mexican American War & the Spanish American War (e-books)

These resources require passwords for off-site access. See box at far left for access information.

Mexican-American War. Detroit: UXL, 2003.
"Covers the period from the U.S. annexation of Texas to the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo (1848), including the battles of the conflict and also the mixed feelings of Americans regarding the war."

Search by keyword, eTable of Contents, or eBook Index.
Spanish-American War. Detroit: UXL, 2003.
"Covers the underlying causes of the Spanish American war, the battles, and the resolution of the conflict with the signing of the Treaty of Paris."

Search by keyword, eTable of Contents, or eBook Index.