ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Spanish American

Okay kiddo, let's talk about the Spanish American topic. You know how there are different countries in the world with different languages and cultures, right? Good. So a long time ago, Spain was a very powerful country that controlled many lands far away from their own country. Some of those lands were in what is now called Latin America.

Spanish American refers to the time when Spain controlled and influenced the countries in Latin America, like Mexico, Peru, and Argentina. There were many different native groups living in these lands already, but Spain came in and started to take over. They brought their own language, religion, and customs. This meant that the people who lived there had to learn Spanish and follow many things that were different from their own traditions.

Over time, the people who lived in these Spanish American countries began to fight for their independence from Spain. They wanted to be in charge of their own lands and create their own governments. After many battles and struggles, they eventually succeeded in becoming independent countries. Some famous leaders in this fight for independence were Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín.

Today, Spanish American refers to the countries in Latin America that have a lot of influence and culture from Spain. They still speak Spanish and have many traditions that come from the time when Spain controlled them. But they are also unique in their own ways and have developed their own cultures and ways of life since becoming independent.