Independence Movement of Latin America

Presentation created by Robert MartinezPrimary Content Source: A Short History of the WorldImages as cited.

In the late 18th century, Spain’s Bourbon

monarchs sought ways of increasing the flow of revenue from their American colonies. Spain needed more money to defend its

empire from European rivals, particularly Britain and France.

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Pressure was placed on the colonies to increase production in agriculture and

mining; and equally to reduce administration and defense costs, and

expand frontiers.

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This led to discontent among the creole population (those of Spanish descent, born in the

colonies), made worse by Spain’s attempts to monopolize commerce with European and

American markets at the expense of creole traders, and by increasing creole exclusion

from positions within the colonial administration in favor of peninsulares (Spanish-born

Spaniards.)mediarumba.com

By the late 18th century, many creoles had grown resentful of Spanish authority.

Influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment and the American and French Revolutions,

they began to desire independence from Spain.

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However, few creoles rebelled because of fear that without Spanish protection, they would be unable to defend themselves from uprisings by

the African, indigenous and mixed-race communities, which together comprised some 80 percent of Spanish America’s population.

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Their fear was reinforced by two events: the 1780

Inca uprising in Peru, led by Tupac Amaru; and the 1791 slave revolt in the

French Caribbean colony of Saint Domingue, which

led to the foundation of the Africa-Caribbean republic

of Haiti in 1804.

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The event that changed creole attitudes and accelerated moves towards independence was

Napoleon’s invasion of Spain in 1808. Napoleon replaced the Spanish Bourbon king Ferdinand with his own older brother, Joseph

Bonaparte, causing a major conflict of loyalties throughout Spanish America.

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Did they recognize the new king, pledge

allegiance to Ferdinand, or form self-ruling governments? In

most cases, creoles preferred the third

option – as a temporary measure at least – until

Bourbon rule was restored.

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A war of independence

began in Mexico in 1810, led by the

priest Miguel Hidalgo. After

Hidalgo’s execution the following year, the movement was led by the military

commander Agustin de Iturbide.

Miguel Hidalgocommons.wikimedia.org

By 1822, Iturbide had driven the Spanish royalists from the country and founded

the Mexican Empire, with himself as emperor.

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Around this time, Spain’s Central American colonies also declared their independence,

forming themselves into the United Provinces of Central America. The union lasted until 1838, when it separated into the independent states

of today.

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Two figures dominated the story of South American Independence. In the north, Simon Bolivar led the struggle to free

present-day Venezuela,

Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

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Bolivar began his fight against Spain royalist forces in 1811. After many fierce battles, he

established the independent republic of Gran Columbia in 1822. In 1830-1831, Gran Columbia separated to form Venezuela, Ecuador and New

Granada.

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In 1816, Argentina declared its

independence from Spain. Jose de San

Martin realized that if Argentina was to

remain a free state, the rest of the

continent would have to be liberated

as well. latinamericanstudies.org

In 1817, he invaded Peru over the high Andean passes, surprising royalists and defeating

them at the Battle of Chacabuco.

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Inspired by San Martin’s example, Chilean patriot Bernado O’Higgins invaded Chile

in 1818, defeating the royalists at the Battle of Maipu and securing the

country’s independence.

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By 1821, San Martin had taken Peru’s capital Lima and proclaimed

independence, although most of the countryside and highlands remained

under royalist control.

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San Martin asked Simon Bolivar to complete the liberation of Peru, which he and his general Antonio Jose de Sucre

achieved at the Battles of Junin and Ayachucho in 1824-1825.

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Upper Peru, which

declared its independence

in 1825, renamed itself

Bolivia, in honor of Bolivar.

es.wikipedia.org

Paraguay, in northern Argentina, achieved liberation in 1811. In Uruguay, which lay

between Brazil and Argentina, independence was proclaimed in 1816, but the country was

then occupied by Brazil in 1820 and only managed to liberate itself in 1828.

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By 1826, the last royalists had been driven out of South America, and the

once-mighty Spanish-American Empire consisted merely of Cuba and Puerto

Rico.

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The U.S. government’s Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which declared U.S. hostility to

any European attempts to re-colonize the Americas, guaranteed the continued independence of Central and South

America.

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