Latin American Revolution

Colonies in the New World claim their rights

Revolution in Haiti

• Originally known as Saint Dominque, Haiti was a French colony

• 500,000 slaves inhabit the island (or at least half)– Lived at the bottom of the social

structure–Worked on plantations– They completely outnumber the whites

on the island–Whites are extremely brutal to the

slaves

Fight for Freedom

• Finally the slaves (mostly Africans) see they greatly outnumber the oppressors (read: whites)

• August 1791 war for independence starts– African Priest Boukman calls for

Revolution–Within a few days 100,000 slaves rise

up– Their leader… Toussaint L’Ouverture

L’Ouverture

• Trained by the French army• Was great at the art of diplomacy • L’Ouverture = opening (in French)• He receives this last name due too

his ability on the battle field to find “openings” in the enemy's lines

• WHY: does he need a last name?

Long Story Short

• L’Ouverture has stunning victories• By 1801 he has taken all of Haiti and is

moving into Spanish held Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic today)

• French send in troops to stop him• L’Ouverture states he will stop if slavery ends

in Haiti• French agree but… they end up breaking the

agreement and sending L’Ouverture to a French prison where he dies in less then 10 months

Haiti

• L’Ouverture is gone but his second in command takes up the fight

• Jean-Jacques Dessalines declares independence in 1804

• This is the first “Black” colony to break away from Europe, but not the last

Latin America (L.A.)

• L.A. was organized into class via birth

1. Peninsulares2. Creoles3. Mestizos4. Mulattos

5. Natives (Indians)

Peninsulares and Creoles

• Peninsulares:– Born in Spain (Spain is a Peninsula hence the

name)– They were the only group that could hold high

office in the gov– Why? Because they would stay loyal to Spain,

hence the colony would stay loyal to Spain

• Creoles:– Spanish born in L.A.– Could not hold high office– Could rise in rank in the army

Peninsulares and Creoles

• Both held all the power and wealth in colonies

• They controlled the rest of the populations

The Rest

• Mestizos = mix of European and Native

• Mulattos = mix of European and African

• Slaves = typically Africans• And at the bottom…• Natives = you may know them as

slaves

Creoles Lead The Way

• Creoles are the least oppressed under foreign rule

• Had some power and wealth• Many would travel to Europe to be

educated• What did they pick up there?

Creoles Lead The Way

• Creoles have no say in their country and they feel they should

• With Enlightened ideas they claim their right to rule

Europe Triggers L.A. Revolutions

• Napoleon takes over Spain in 1808• Tosses King Ferdinand• Colonies feel no loyalty to Napoleon

or his brother so… Power shifts from the crown to the people

• The door is open to take their freedom

• When Napoleon is exiled in 1814 Ferdinand tries to regain control but, it is too late

The Libertadores

• Two important liberators in L.A.:• Simon Bolivar–Wealthy Venezuelan Creole

• Jose de San Martin– Modest man– Born in Argentina, but spent most of his

youth in Spain

Bolivar’s Route to Victory

• Venezuela declares independence from Spain in 1811

• At first Bolivar is losing, badly• Twice he is sent into exile• Turning point: 1819 Bolivar take

2,000 troops through the Andes to Bogota

• They completely took the Spanish by surprise

• 1821 Venezuela wins their independence

San Martin

• After Bolivar’s victory he marches south to Ecuador and meets San Martin

• Argentina claims independence in 1816

• However, their independence is threatened from Spanish forces in Chile and Peru

• San Martin knows he must rid Spanish forces to secure Argentina’s independence

San Martin

• He leads his troops over the Andes (see a trend) to Chile

• He connects with Berardo O’Higgins (former viceroy of Peru)

• Together the two men free Chile from Spanish forces• In 1821 he heads north by sea to Peru• His army is too small to take Peru, but Bolivar’s

forces are in the area as well• With the two armies combined they have the force to

take Peru and they do in 1824. The last battle for independence in S. America

• Side note:

Mexico

• Here mestizos and natives lead the way

• 1810 Miguel Hidalgo (a priest) begins the Revolution

• Poor but educated he believes in the ideas of the Enlightenment

• He gathers the villagers of Dolores and calls for a revolt

• Grito de Dolores (the cry of Dolores)

Hidalgo and Mexico

• The following day Hidalgo’s army of Natives (Indians) and mestizo followers march on Mexico City

• Soon he has an “army” of 60,000 men

• The Upper class of Mexico (peninsulares, creoles and the army) are terrified and come out to fight Hidalgo’s force

• Hidalgo is defeated in 1811, but all is not lost

Mexico

• Jose Maria Morelos–He takes up the fight after Hidalgo– For the next 4 years he fights for

independence– In 1815 he is dealt the “death blow,”

being defeated by a creole named Agustin de Iturbid

True Independence for Mexico

• Events in Mexico take an odd turn in 1820

• Revolution in Spain causes fear among the elite

• Creoles fear they will lose all their power so…

• They join the fight for independence• Agustin de Iturbide makes peace

with the rebels (mestizos and Natives) and claims independence in 1821

True Independence for Mexico

• Mexico rules over all of Central America• Once Mexico gains it’s independence (via

Iturbide) Central America wants independence fro Mexico

• This happens but…• Iturbide fights it claiming himself

emperor only to be overthrown in 2 years• When he is gone independence is granted

to C. America

Brazil

• No blood was shed in this revolution• 1807 Napoleon is marching to

Portugal to subdue their trade (remember the Continental System?)

• As Napoleon nears Lisbon (capital of Portugal) the royal family flees by ship

• Where do they go?

Brazil• Once the royal family arrives in Brazil it

becomes the center of Portugal’s empire• However, when Napoleon is defeated in

1815 the royal family moves back to Portugal and the power slowly moves with them

• Brazil cannot become a colony again after the importance they felt of 14 years

• They ask King John’s son (through a petition) to take over, and he does in 1822 giving Brazil it’s independence

Independence Brings Trouble

• Independence brings:– Poverty– Destroys:

• Trade, cities, and the countryside

• With all of these problems L.A. quickly falls apart.

• Places that once thought they would unite to create grand republics fracture into smaller units

• We will see this same process take place in Europe