Question

Pretend you are a journalist who has been able to go back in time in a time machine. You are reporting today for a news broadcast about things that happened in colonial South America. Use the material in this lesson and research the Internet to find the information to make your story interesting. Your viewers need to know:
a) (Who) are the people about whom you are reporting?
b) (What) their lives are like and what is the time period about which you are reporting?
c) (Why) should they care about what happened a long time ago?
d) (Where) In what area of the world are you?
e) (How) do the people about whom you are reporting live? What do they feel?

Answer 1

When it comes to Colonial South America I would be reporting about the Indian tribes in rural Peru. The time period would be 19th century. Their lives are opressed under the Spanish Colonial rule. They are starting to assimilate, accepting Christianity which was a monotheistic religion. Before that period, they were worshiping many of their Mayan Gods and were living mainly form their own agricultural labor. Now, under the Spanish rule, they have to work for others sometimes in slave like conditions, for a very poor wage. Spanish Colonization of South America had a huge impact on the Indian Tribes. A lot of them were killed by desiese, were robbed of their gold and other possesions. They had to learn a new language and accept new cusoms. Even today a lot of them are exploited, working on coffee, salt and cocoa farms in harsh conditions for as little as 10$ a month.