1. 1750-1914: An Age of Revolutions
Latin American Independence Movements

2. What is Latin America?
Regions of Middle & South America and the Caribbean that were colonized by Europeans (Spanish, Portuguese & French) where the inhabitants speak languages rooted in Latin.
The map to the right shows the decade in which each country gained its independence.
During what time period did most countries gain their independence?

3. Review: Cycle of Revolutions

4. Background: Setting the Stage for Revolution
Indigenous peoples and civilizations
Maya, Aztec, Inca
European Colonization, 1500s
Spain, Portugal, France
American Revolution, 1776
French Revolution and Enlightenment, 1789
Napoleon’s conquests within Europe, 1800s

5. Remember…
As we studied in our unit on Exploration, European powers colonized the Caribbean, Central America, South America & parts of North America
South America was divided by Spain & Portugal in 1494
Spain held power in much of Latin America for over 300 years!

6. European Background: Napoleon
Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808
Removed Spain’s King Ferdinand VII and made Joseph (Napoleon’s brother) king of Spain
Creoles used it as a reason for revolution
1810 rebellion across Latin America
1814, Napoleon was defeated and Ferdinand returned to power, but Creoles continued their movement

7. French colonies: Revolution in Haiti
Saint Domingue, now known as Haiti (western third of island of Hispanola in Caribbean Sea).
Over two thousand plantations on the western part of the lush island produced sugar, indigo, cotton, cocoa and tobacco.

8. Latin American Social and Racial Classes

9. Toussaint L’Ouverture
Former slave, self-educated. Admired the writings of the French Enlightenment philosophers who spoke of individual rights and equality.
Untrained in military and political matters, but became a skilled general and diplomat.
Allegedly got name (“opening” in French) from being able to find openings in enemy lines.
Took leadership of a slave revolt that broke out in 1791 over abolishing slavery.
100,000 slaves in revolt.

10. By 1801, L’Ouverture moved into Spanish Santo Domingo and took control of territory and freed slaves.
In January 1802, French troops landed to retake control.
Toussaint agreed to an end of fighting if the French would end slavery.
Napoleon agreed and invited Toussaint to France to negotiate, but betrayed him and sent him to a prison in the French Alps.
He died 10 months later, in April of 1803.

11. Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Toussaint’s general took up the fight after Toussaint’s death.
Jan 1, declared an independent country.
First black colony to free itself from European control.
He called it Haiti, “mountainous land,” in the language of the native Arawak inhabitants.
Became first emperor of Haiti; later assassinated in a revolt.
1820: Haiti became an independent republic

12. Spanish Colonies Revolutions against Spanish Rule

13. Discontent- Reasons to Revolt From Outside
Enlightenment Ideas spread to the Americas
Use the power of reason to reform society and advance knowledge
Promoted tolerance and social equality
Promoted democracy and justice
Opposed abuse of power in church and govt
French and American Revolutions occur
the American fight for independence was a model for Latin America
the ideas of " Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" inspired the leaders of Latin America to break from European control
Napoleon’s invasion of Spain in 1808
as Napoleon conquered Europe he took with him the ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution

14. Discontent- Reasons to Revolt From Inside
Social hierarchy led to classism and racism in Latin American society
Creoles and Mestizos grow discontented with Spanish rule
Napoleon’s invasion of Spain in 1808
as Napoleon conquered Europe he spread the ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution: " Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" inspired the leaders of Latin America to break from European control
Spain tries to tighten control in Latin American colonies
Stricter administration, more efficient tax collection, tighter trade control– causes resentment among colonial population
Strong leaders in Latin America call for independence, seeing Napoleon’s invasion as a sign of Spanish weakness

15. Latin American social classes

16. Francisco Goya, Executions of May 3, 1808, to commemorate Spanish resistance to Napoleon’s armies during the occupation.

17. Simon Bolivar Born a Creole in Venezuela
Influenced by Enlightenment thinkers through education and trips to Europe
Hoped to unite all of South America into one nation
Very capable general whose victories brought independence to Columbia, Venezuela, Peru, and Bolivia
Called “The Liberator”

18. Jose de San Martin Simple, modest man
Born in Argentina, spent time in Spain as military officer
San Martin led army to free Argentina and Peru
Ecuador, 1822: San Martin met with Bolivar to decide how to remove remaining Spanish forces in Lima, Peru.

19. Bolivar
San Martin

20. Gran Colombia, 1820-1830 Bolivar’s vision of a united South America.
Present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama.
Short-lived due to dissension amongst various factions.
Bolivar resigned in 1828.
In 1830, Bolivar’s Gran Colombia divided into Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela
Panama later split from Colombia with US assistance, 1903.

21. Mexico
Indians and Mestizos, not Creoles, played the key role in independence movements.
Two revolutionary leaders attempt to bring real change
Creoles sided with Spain to avoid violence of lower-class rebellions (until 1820).

22. Father Miguel Hidalgo
As a Creole, Father Miguel Hidalgo was part of a movement to gain Mexican independence.
Hidalgo was far more progressive than the others- he believed in social equality and wanted to help the Indians.

23. Father Miguel Hidalgo
In 1810, he led a mob army of 600 Indians to Mexico City that swelled to over 60,000
Outside of the city, Hidalgo declared Mexican independence, abolished slavery
He disbanded mob before taking city, he was later arrested and executed by Spanish military in 1811

24. Father Jose Maria Morelos
Took leadership after Hidalgo’s death
Hoped to create an independent republic, eliminate power of Spaniards, Creoles, and Church
Evoked Mexican nationalism
Used a smaller, more disciplined army than Hidalgo
Fought numerous battles in central Mexico, eluded Spanish army
Caught in 1815 and executed
Used a smaller, more disciplined army than Hidalgo
Fought numerous battles in central Mexico, eluded Spanish army

25. Mexican Independence, 1821
1820 revolution in Spain put a liberal government in power.
Mexican creoles feared loss of influence, so they united against Spain.
Agustin Iturbide declared himself emperor, but was overthrown.
1824: Establishment of the Mexican Republic.

27. Period of Consolidation, 1825-1850
Breakdown of original nations and groups:
Gran Colombia
an original union between Bolivia and Peru
United Provinces of Central America
Instability of internal politics
Bolivia experienced 60 revolts and coups.
Venezuela experienced 52 revolts and coups

28. Period of Consolidation, 1825-1850
Liberals - free trade, representative govt, federal government system
Conservatives - protect church and upper classes
controlled most regimes between 1830 and 1870.
Independence movements and new governments run by Creoles
Spanish administrators had excluded Creoles from political leadership, so few leaders could actually run a government. (We’ll see the same problems in African nations in the 20th century when they gain their independence.)

29. Achievements Nations win independence and write new constitutions
Expansion of education system, open new lands to settlement, abolish slavery.
Stability in foreign affairs – map lines fixed/established after 1850
In 1820, Britain established Uruguay as a buffer between Argentina and Brazil
US provoked the only major changes
Mexican-American War, Cuba, Panama

30. Results of Latin American Independence Movements
Heavy casualties during revolutions– many deaths
Political/Social:
Civil wars break out– continued battles between liberals, conservatives and the military over how to best rule.
Tensions between articulate political forces and the separate masses.
Caudillos take power (political-military leaders at the head of authoritarian powers)
Nationalism and Division-- disagreement and inequality plague the political and social structure of many Latin American nations
Economic:
New nations unable to free themselves from dependence on Western European-controlled economic patterns.
Poverty- despite independence and winning freedoms the majority of Latin Americans live in poverty following independence
Cultural:
Distinct cultural entity
combination of Western styles and values plus its racial diversity, colonial past, and social structure of a semi-colonial economy.

31. Recap: Latin American Independence Movements