1. Events and Ideas #4 Latin American Class System and Revolution
World History
Unit 2

2. This Slideshow Contains…
One Crash course video
One short video with PPT notes

3. Essential Questions:
How did the strict class system in Latin America lead to revolution?
How did Latin America gain their independence?

4. A rigid class system divided the people of Latin America
Copy this graphic on your notes

5. The Caste System of Colonial America
Answer these question while watching this short video
Who was in the top caste?
Who was in the second class?
What percent Spanish were they?
Then came… what %
Who was in the lowest caste?

6. Peninsular
Spanish and Portuguese officials who resided temporarily in Latin America
Born in Spain or Portugal (i.e. from the Iberian Peninsula which led to the name).
Peninsulas - persons of Spanish or Portuguese descent born in Spain or Portugal (i.e. from the Iberian Peninsula which led to the name).
They were considered so much higher than other classes that many women went back to Spain or Portugal to give birth.
They held important jobs in the government, the army, and the Catholic Church, and usually did not live permanently in Latin America.
This system was intended to perpetuate the ties of the governing elite to the Spanish and Portuguese crowns.

7. Peninsular
They were considered so much higher than other classes that many women went back to Spain or Portugal to give birth.
They held important jobs in the government, the army, and the Catholic Church, and usually did not live permanently in Latin America.
This system was intended to perpetuate the ties of the governing elite to the Spanish and Portuguese crowns.

8. Creoles
Descendants of Europeans born in Latin America and lived there permanently
They had land & wealth but had no political power
Many creoles owned mines, ranches, or haciendas and were very wealthy.
They occasionally had government jobs, but they were not respected by the peninsular.

9. Mestizos
The lack of European women in America led to intermarriage which resulted in a large mixed- race population
This population made up the next level of the social hierarchy - Mestizos
Mestizos were the offspring of Europeans and Native Americans

10. Mestizos
Mestizos were expected to be smarter and more able to help society than those of pure Indian ancestry.
Mestizos were above Indian, but below the Spanish.
Although most of these caste were based on color and origin, they were slightly affected by wealth and education.

11. Mulattos
Mulattos were the offspring of Europeans & Africans

12. Africans
African slaves made up the second to the lowest of the social hierarchy
These were both slaves and freedmen
They, along with Indians were used as workers for creoles plantations

13. Native Americans
One of the lowest classes of society. Over the years became mixed with the general population of mestizos

14. Analyze this graphic

15. Current Latin American Ethnic Statistics
Mexico: Mestizo 60%, Native Indian 30%, White 9%, other 1%
Paraguay: Mestizo 95%, other 5%
Peru: Native Indian 45%, Mestizo 37%, White 15%, Black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%
Bolivia: Quechua 30%, Mestizo, 30%, Aymara 25%, White 15%
Who has the greatest Mestizo population? - Native Indian?
Bolivia – Quechua is an ethnic group that came from the incas
Aymara – and ethnic group that comes from the Andes

16. Think about this…
Which social group will lead these Latin American Revolutions? Why?
Where do you think they get the idea to revolt and create democracies in the place of colonial rule?

17. Crash Course Video Complete the worksheet that goes with this video:

18. Throughout the Spanish colonies in South America, the creoles had wealth & education but could not participate in government
Even though they could not hold high public office, creoles were the least oppressed of those born in Latin America. They were also the best educated. In fact, many wealthy young creoles traveled to Europe for their education. In Europe, they read about and adopted Enlightenment ideas. When they returned to Latin America, they brought ideas of revolution with them. Napoleon’s conquest of Spain in 1808 triggered revolts in the Spanish colonies. Removing Spain’s King Ferdinand VII, Napoleon made his brother Joseph king of Spain. Many creoles might have supported a Spanish king. However, they felt no loyalty to a king imposed by the French. Creoles, recalling Locke’s idea of the consent of the governed, argued that when the real king was removed, power shifted to the people. In 1810, rebellion broke out in several parts of Latin America. The drive toward independence had begun.
The South American wars of independence rested on the achievements of two brilliant creole generals. One was Simón Bolívar, a wealthy Venezuelan creole. The other great liberator was José de San Martín, an Argentinian.
Bolívar’s Route to Victory
Simón Bolívar’s native Venezuela declared its independence from Spain in But the struggle for independence had only begun. Bolívar’s volunteer army of revolutionaries suffered numerous defeats. Twice Bolívar had to go into exile. A turning point came in August Bolívar led over 2,000 soldiers on a daring march through the Andes into what is now Colombia. (See the 1830 map on page 685.) Coming from this direction, he took the Spanish army in Bogotá completely by surprise and won a decisive victory. By 1821, Bolívar had won Venezuela’s independence. He then marched south into Ecuador. In Ecuador, Bolívar finally met José de San Martín. Together they would decide the future of the Latin American revolutionary movement.
San Martín Leads Southern Liberation Forces San Martín’s Argentina had declared its independence in However, Spanish forces in nearby Chile and Peru still posed a threat. In 1817, San Martín led an army on a grueling march across the Andes to Chile. He was joined there by forces led by Bernardo O’Higgins, son of a former viceroy of Peru. With O’Higgins’s help, San Martín finally freed Chile. In 1821, San Martín planned to drive the remaining Spanish forces out of Lima, Peru. But to do so, he needed a much larger force. San Martín and Bolívar discussed this problem when they met at Guayaquil, Ecuador, in 1822.
No one knows how the two men reached an agreement. But San Martín left his army for Bolívar to command. With unified revolutionary forces, Bolívar’s army went on to defeat the Spanish at the Battle of Ayacucho (Peru) on December 9, In this last major battle of the war for independence, the Spanish colonies in Latin America won their freedom. The future countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador were united into a country called Gran Colombia.
Creoles embraced Enlightenment ideas like natural rights & consent of the governed

19. Revolutions Begin
Creoles, recalling Locke’s idea of the consent of the governed wanted power to shift to the people.
In 1810, the demand by creoles for political rights led to revolutions throughout South America
The drive toward independence had begun.

20. Simon Bolivar & Jose de San Martian
Members of the creole elite
Hailed as the “Liberators of South American”
Led revolutions in:
Venezuela
Colombia
Ecuador
Chile
Peru
Uruguay
Paraguay
Argentina
Did not fight together, but met together between battles and statigized.

21. Simon Bolivar Simón Bolívar was a wealthy Venezuelan creole general
Bolívar’s volunteer army of revolutionaries suffered numerous defeats and twice Bolívar had to go into exile.
Bolívar led over 2,000 soldiers on a daring march through the Andes into what is now Colombia.
Coming from this direction, he took the Spanish army in Bogotá completely by surprise and won a decisive victory.
By 1821, Bolívar had won Venezuela’s independence.

22. Jose de San Martian
San Martín’s Argentina had declared its independence in 1816.
Spanish forces in nearby Chile and Peru still posed a threat.
In 1817, San Martín led an army on a grueling march across the Andes to Chile and freed Chile.
In 1821, San Martín planned to drive the remaining Spanish forces out of Lima, Peru. But to do so, he needed a much larger force. San Martín and Bolívar met and discussed this problem
San Martín left his army for Bolívar to command.
With unified revolutionary forces, Bolívar’s army went on to defeat the Spanish
In this last major battle of the war for independence, the Spanish colonies in Latin America won their freedom

23. Even though they could not hold high public office, creoles were the least oppressed of those born in Latin America. They were also the best educated. In fact, many wealthy young creoles traveled to Europe for their education. In Europe, they read about and adopted Enlightenment ideas. When they returned to Latin America, they brought ideas of revolution with them. Napoleon’s conquest of Spain in 1808 triggered revolts in the Spanish colonies. Removing Spain’s King Ferdinand VII, Napoleon made his brother Joseph king of Spain. Many creoles might have supported a Spanish king. However, they felt no loyalty to a king imposed by the French. Creoles, recalling Locke’s idea of the consent of the governed, argued that when the real king was removed, power shifted to the people. In 1810, rebellion broke out in several parts of Latin America. The drive toward independence had begun.
The South American wars of independence rested on the achievements of two brilliant creole generals. One was Simón Bolívar, a wealthy Venezuelan creole. The other great liberator was José de San Martín, an Argentinian.
Bolívar’s Route to Victory
Simón Bolívar’s native Venezuela declared its independence from Spain in But the struggle for independence had only begun. Bolívar’s volunteer army of revolutionaries suffered numerous defeats. Twice Bolívar had to go into exile. A turning point came in August Bolívar led over 2,000 soldiers on a daring march through the Andes into what is now Colombia. (See the 1830 map on page 685.) Coming from this direction, he took the Spanish army in Bogotá completely by surprise and won a decisive victory. By 1821, Bolívar had won Venezuela’s independence. He then marched south into Ecuador. In Ecuador, Bolívar finally met José de San Martín. Together they would decide the future of the Latin American revolutionary movement.
San Martín Leads Southern Liberation Forces San Martín’s Argentina had declared its independence in However, Spanish forces in nearby Chile and Peru still posed a threat. In 1817, San Martín led an army on a grueling march across the Andes to Chile. He was joined there by forces led by Bernardo O’Higgins, son of a former viceroy of Peru. With O’Higgins’s help, San Martín finally freed Chile. In 1821, San Martín planned to drive the remaining Spanish forces out of Lima, Peru. But to do so, he needed a much larger force. San Martín and Bolívar discussed this problem when they met at Guayaquil, Ecuador, in 1822.
No one knows how the two men reached an agreement. But San Martín left his army for Bolívar to command. With unified revolutionary forces, Bolívar’s army went on to defeat the Spanish at the Battle of Ayacucho (Peru) on December 9, In this last major battle of the war for independence, the Spanish colonies in Latin America won their freedom. The future countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador were united into a country called Gran Colombia.

24. Miguel Hidalgo Parish priest in Mexico Studied the French Revolution
Roused the local Native Americans and mestizos to free themselves from the Spanish (Sept. 16th 1810)
Rebellion was crushed and Hidalgo was executed
1821 Mexico achieves independence from Spain

26. Latin America countries and the dates they gained independence

27. Explain the caste system of Latin America

28. Answer the Essential Question: (minimum of 5 sentences)
How did the strict class system in Latin America lead to revolution?
How did Latin America gain their independence?