Latin America Revolutions by Tyler Landrum

Reasons for Independence There was no respect for the creoles(native born whites) All the native Spaniards were given the important positions The colonies could only trade with Spain at outrageous prices and taxes Other revolutions inspired the ones in Latin America Spain became weaker and weaker as time went on

The Start of Independence In Latin America Napoleon’s invasion of Spain and Portugal sparked the revolutions in Latin America The Spanish fighting the French created the Junta Central to govern the areas they controlled Many colonials followed the Junta Central Some Spanish elite didn’t follow them, saying they were subjects of the king and didn’t depend on the Spanish nation.

1st Instance of Revolution In Caracas the local junta declared independence in 1811 The leaders supported slavery and oppposed the citizenship of black people Simón Bolivar became the leader of the revolutionary froces Supported freeing slaves to draw them to his cause and get supplies from Haiti. He used English soldiers to supplement his army Bolivar eventually liberated the region in 1924 and created Gran Colombia in an attempt to unite the colonies.

Independence of Argentina Buenos Aires was the 2nd center of independence News of the abdication of Ferdinand VII spawned the creation a junta organization led by militia commanders The junta organization overthrew the viceroy in 1810 When the king regained his throne they declared independence as the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata Spanish loyalists in Paraguay caused the region to go into political chaos Weak juntas, dictators, and presidents lost control of almost all of inner Argentina. The Buenos Aires government managed to send forces led by Jose de San Martin across the Andes mountains and went under command of Simon Bolivar and defeated the Spanish.

Mexico’s Independence Spain’s wealthiest and most populated colony in 1810 Mexico heard news of Napoleon’s invasion and the Spaniards moved the viceroy because he sympathized with the creoles Everybody realized the colonial power only had to be taken by force Ranchers and farmers forced Amerindian communities out. Colonial power had been weakened, and fear and anger has spread throughout Mexico In 1810, a Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest of the town of Dolores, drew a crowd and giving a furious speech on rising up against the Spanish He succeeded, and while they weren’t militarily disciplined nor well supplied, they knew exactly who they were fighting against The wealthy Mexicans saw the threat that the mobs were and captured Hidalgo and had him killed in 1811 However Jose Morelos kept the rebellion going, but was caught and executed in 1815 In 1821 Colonel Agustin de Iturbide formed an alliance with the rebels and declared independence.

The Cry of Dolores Hidalgo was recruited by conspirators in early 1810. Some months later their conspiracy had been found out Everyone but Hidalgo wanted to back out but he went forward and called the people forward to give his speech. The people and Hidalgo battled Spanish forces right up to the walls of Mexico City. This action sparked the Mexican War of Independence which lasted until 1821 with the Mexican winning their rights to be independent

Caribbean Independence In Cuba, several uprisings occurred without much success A notable one that lasted from 1868-1878 was led Carlos Manuel de Cespedes. In 1895 Cuban forces led by the poet and patriot Jose Marti were defeated at the Battle of Dos Rios Cuba did not achieve independence until 1902 after the Spanish American war

Works Cited Bulliet Textbook http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/latinamericaindependence