The Wars of Independence in Latin America

Reasons for Revolution –Social Structure of Latin America –Upper Class Peninsulares – people of European descent born in Europe sent over to the Americas to rule the colonies –Middle Class Creoles – people of European descent born in the Americas Creoles resented second class status to peninsulares, high taxes, and mercantilist policies –Lower Class Mestizos – part European and part Native American Mulattoes – part European and part African Native Americans – original people living in the Americas Slaves – mostly Africans

Immediate reason – Spain and Portugal are attacked by Napoleon Enlightenment ideas Haiti’s struggle ( ) –slave revolt inspired by French Revolution and led by Toussaint L’Overture –rebel forces win because of leadership, desire, and luck (yellow fever)

Wars of Independence on the South American Continent –Creole elite led revolutions against Spanish and Portuguese rule –Creoles feared French-controlled Spain – liberal class reforms – so they formed Creole juntas or political committees, ended peninsulares rule and took over South America

San Martin in Rio de la Plata –The junta in Buenos Aires not only succeeded in defeating Spain n what would become Argentina but also sought to liberate Paraguay and Uruguay –A revolutionary force led by Jose de San Martin helped Bernardo O’Higgins liberate Chile then liberated the loyalist stronghold of Peru

Simon Bolivar’s Liberation of Venezuela –Simon Bolivar helped establish the liberating junta in Venezuala; civil war breaks out between royalists and republican supporters – llaneros (cowboys) and slaves –Bolivar is exiled but eventually returns to liberate modern day Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuala –Bolivar and San Martin disagreed on the future political structure of Latin America; San Martin eventually quietly left and went into exile in Europe –Battle of Ayacucho – marked the end of Spain’s effort to retain South American Empire

Independence in New Spain –the lower class is united by a Creole priest Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (a poor parish priest) against the local junta; many atrocities are committed by the revolutionaries and royalist forces –Father Hidalgo is captured and executed; Jose Morelos y Pavon, a mestizo priest and much more radical than Hidalgo, becomes the leader of the revolution –the popular uprising ends after five bloody years of fighting –fear of liberal reforms unites conservative forces behind a former royalist general, Agustin de Iturbide; he declares independence from Spain and is declared emperor

Brazilian Independence – nonviolent revolution –owned by Portugal – after Portugal is invaded by Napoleon the ruling family flees to Brazil; Prince Joao makes reforms to appease locals –after Napoleon is defeated King Joao VI returns to Portugal but leaves his son Dom Pedro behind to rule; eventually Dom Pedro declares an independent Brazil and becomes emperor