Latin American Independence Movements

Latin American Independence - 19th century

French colonies: Revolution in Haiti (Saint Domingue)

Toussaint L’Ouverture (too-SAN loo-vair-TOOR) Former slave, self- educated. Took leadership of a slave revolt that broke out in 1791 & was successful Napoleon tricked him with peace talks & sent him to a prison in the French Alps. He died 10 months later, April 1803.

Jean-Jacques Dessalines Jan 1, declared an independent country. World’s 1 st black republic Haiti = “mountainous land” in Arawak Haiti’s 1 st emperor Assassinated in a revolt 1820: Haiti became an independent republic

Spanish Colonies Revolutions against Spanish Rule

Latin American social classes PeninsularesCreolesMestizos/MulattosNatives/Africans

European Background: Napoleon Napoleon invaded Spain in Removed Spain’s King Ferdinand VII and made Joseph (Napoleon’s brother) king of Spain. Spanish colonies use the illegitimate monarchy as a reason for revolution rebellion across Latin America. 1814, Napoleon defeated and Ferdinand returned to power, but independence movements continued.

Francisco Goya, Executions of May 3, 1808

Mexico Natives and mestizos, not creoles, played the key role in independence movements Creoles sided with Spain to avoid violence of lower-class rebellions (until 1820)

Miguel Hidalgo “el Grito de Dolores”

Jose Maria Morelos Took leadership after Hidalgo’s defeat Defeated by creoles in 1815 & executed

Mexican Independence, revolution in Spain put a liberal government in power Mexican creoles feared loss of influence, so they united against Spain Augustin Iturbide declared himself emperor, but was overthrown 1824: Establishment of the Mexican Republic

Mexico's Congress writes a constitution –Conservatives want a strong central government & Roman Catholicism –Liberals want the states to have more control & freedom of religion Compromise in 1824 –Republic with a president and a two-house Congress –Governors and legislatures heading the states –Guadalupe Victoria, a follower of Hidalgo and Morelos, became the first president

United Provinces of Central America El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras declare their independence from both Spain and Mexico to create the United Provinces of Central America By 1840, United Provinces of Central America had split into Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua & Costa Rica

Simon Bolivar

Jose de San Martin

Bernardo O’Higgins

Bolivar San Martin San Martin sailed for Europe and died in France 1850 Dec 9, 1824, Bolivar defeated Spain at Battle of Ayacucho

Gran Colombia,

Portugal’s Pedro I

Results of Latin American Independence Movements Political/Social: –Continued battles between liberals, conservatives and the military over how to best rule. –Tensions between articulate political forces and the separate masses. Economic: –Unable to free itself from dependence on Western- controlled economic patterns. Cultural/intelligent: –Distinct cultural entity combination of Western styles and values plus its racial diversity, colonial past, and social structure of a semi- colonial economy.

Latin American Independence - 19th century