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Syllabus

Latin America — Syllabus

ICSE · Class 12 · History

What Latin America covers in ICSE Class 12 History: 4 topics, for the 2026-27 session. Part of the ICSE Class 12 History syllabus.

70 questions44 flashcards5 concepts

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4 Topics · ICSE Class 12 History · 2026-27

Topics in Latin America

1

1. Latin America: Region and Early Problems

  • Latin America consists of South America, Central America including Mexico, and Caribbean islands such as Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola, which is divided into Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
  • Brazil gained independence from Portugal, while most other Latin American states gained independence from Spain, in the early nineteenth century.
  • Most countries shared weak industrial and agricultural development, poverty, illiteracy, and unstable political systems.
2

2. US Domination and Cold War Intervention

  • After the Second World War, the USA exercised huge economic, political and military influence across Latin America.
  • The USA feared communist expansion in the Western hemisphere and repeatedly intervened against governments it considered suspect.
  • US interventions to remove suspect governments took place in Guatemala (1954), Cuba (1962), Brazil (1964), the Dominican Republic (1965), Chile (1970-3), Nicaragua from 1979, Panama (1989), and Haiti
3

3. Brazil: From Vargas to Rousseff

  • Brazil's political and economic history shows the shift from military control to civilian democracy and then to left-wing reform.
  • Getulio Vargas replaced the conservative landowner government in 1930 and encouraged industry.
  • Vargas acted as a dictator from 1937, was forced to resign in 1945, was re-elected in 1950, and committed suicide in 1954 amid corruption accusations.
4

4. Venezuela: From Oil Wealth to Chávez

  • Venezuela was wealthy because of oil, but until 1945 most profits went to foreign companies or a small domestic elite.
  • Rómulo Betancourt introduced reforms, raised Venezuela's share of oil revenues to 60%, and tried to widen civil rights.
  • In 1976 President Carlos Andrés Pérez nationalized part of the oil industry and created PdVSA.

Key Concepts

Central concept: Latin America as a region shaped by colonial legacies, US intervention, social inequality, and the rise of left-leaning politics

Geographical scopeColonial independenceEconomic underdevelopmentSocial inequalityPolitical instabilityUS dominationNeo-liberalismDebt crisis

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Latin America for ICSE Class 12 History?
Key topics in Latin America include Latin America: Region and Early Problems, US Domination and Cold War Intervention, Brazil: From Vargas to Rousseff, Venezuela: From Oil Wealth to Chávez. Study these first, then practise questions on each for the ICSE Class 12 board exam.
How should I revise Latin America for the ICSE Class 12 board exam?
Learn the core ideas first, then work through the 70 practice questions on Latin America. Revise definitions regularly and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

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