Argentina Test Review

• Peru initially settled the northwestern part of Argentina during the Age of Development.
• Gaining independence from Spain took nearly 10 years and was achieved in 1819.
• The mestizo class was absorbed into the “white race”.
• The peace and stability that followed the civil war in 1861 lasted for 70 years.
• Early politics: political parties represented special interest groups.
• Argentina's immigration: 50% of its population was of European descent. Elite control didn't
bother them.
• Argentina's growth pattern is most similar to Canada.
• The Unification Party worked for a strong national government.
• Buenos Aires was made into a federal district like in the U.S. There was also early bickering
between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
• The 1853 Constitution was favored by the landowners of the interior.
• The 1861 Constitution was okay with governors. This Constitution allowed the president to
remove a governor if he wanted to do so.
• The early focus of the Elite was national development. This was later transformed support
anything that benefited the landowners.
• At this time, Argentina had the largest per-capita debt in the world. In addition, there was also
100% inflation during this time period.
• Great Britain greatly invested in Argentina and aided in the construction of its railroad
infrastructure. When Peron came and started the nationalization of industry, Great Britain lost
interest and the U.S. became the new chief investor.
• Investing in Argentina occurred because it had the necessary resources to have a stable and
prosperous economy.
• President Celman was the scape goat for the financial crisis that occurred.
• Because of the financial crisis, foreign funds depleted in the 1890's and many programs were
eliminated.
• A shift in population occurred: 20% went from rural to urban and the government did nothing to
accommodate this shift.
• Liberal reform president: 1910—couldn't control congress. It took 2 years to pass an election
reform.
• At 18 years old, male citizens registered for voting and for the military.
• Hipolito Yrigoyen had good organizational skills—he couldn't pass measures through the
mostly conservative Congress because of the corruption.
• 1910—the elite was concerned over the Anarchists. They didn't worry about other political
parties and attacked the anarchists. The working class gravitated toward Yrigoyen's movement.
• There was a conspiracy against Yrigoyen: among the conservatives and the army.
• UCR goal: secret ballots—Yrigoyen adopted intransigence because of PAN's corruption.
• The socialist party grew from disagreement with UCR.
• When the radicals win control in Congress, they only use their power to harass the president.
• Era of political fraud:
• Argentina was a major food producer by the time of WWII.
• WWII sympathies:
• When there was a military coup against Yrigoyen,
• GUO program—unification of Argentina—becomes a political/military group.
• The minister of war was made president instead of the v.p.
• Peronism—1945 opposition—skilled workers of European ancestry
◦ its initial aim was labor reform
◦ it heavily taxed foreign owned ndustries
◦ the OPEC was created to revitalize the petroleum industry.
◦ Military lodge—key to power as he headed toward the presidency
◦ Eva Peron (his wife) was important for the Foundation of Social Aid (FSA)
◦ Eva Peron helped increase wages for labor by 40%. She had good relations with the poor
and labor force.
◦ It established diplomatic relations with the USSR
• Democratic Union Party—was created in opposition to Peron
• Congressional sessions between 1966 to 1983. Only 3 were held between this time period.