1. Revolutions in Latin america
A Brief Guide to Major Uprisings

2. Racism and Revolution Most of the colonies were Spanish
Colonial society was usually very divided along racial lines
Even French and British colonies tended to use the Spanish model

3. The Spanish Model Only peninsulares could hold high government offices
At the top were peninsulares
People who now lived in the colonies, but had been born in Spain
Only peninsulares could hold high government offices
A small percentage of the population, they controlled life in Latin America

4. Next on the Ladder Were the creoles
These were people who were Spanish, but had been born in the Americas
No government offices, but they were able to rise in the ranks of the military and also hold the best government jobs
Main actors in Independence movement- educated, had resources, identified more with America than Spain

5. Beyond That The third-ranked group were mestizos Then came mulattoes
Children of mixed European and Native American ancestry
Then came mulattoes
Children of mixed European and African ancestry
Then came African slaves
Finally, at the bottom, were the Native Americans themselves – little economic value to the Spaniards

6. The Problem with This Racial Mix
Is that anyone could figure out there were FAR more mulattoes, mestizos, and slaves than there were peninsulares and creoles
In order to maintain control, Europeans often brutally suppressed the local populations

7. Slave Uprising in Saint Domingue
Saint Domingue was a French colony, having been won from Spain in a war
Located on the island of Hispaniola Today, the nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island

8. Plantation Society
The island of Hispaniola is ideally suited for the growing of cash crops, namely sugar and coffee
Europeans created vast plantations in order to grow as much of these crops as possible –required lots of labor

9. In the Late 1700’s
The United States of America declared independence in 1776
In 1789, the French Revolution began, and the French citizenry overthrew King Louis XVI

10. In Saint Domingue
Inspired by the Americans, slaves and native islanders began to seek freedom from their mother country
And if the French king was no longer on the throne, could Saint Domingue still be a French colony?

11. Toussaint L’Ouverture
A former slave, Toussaint L’Ouverture rose to leadership of the revolt
In 10 years of fighting, he managed to liberate the entire island of Hispaniola
He also ordered slavery ended on the island

12. French Response…
The French can’t really put down the rebellion, because they’re fighting the revolution at home
But that would change with the rise of Napoleon

13. Napoleon Looks at Saint Domingue
And sees it in economic terms
A slave population on plantations makes France far more money than an independent island
So he moves to retake the island in order to bolster France’s finances
Sends in 16,000 French Troops to fight

14. L’Ouverture is Captured
Toussaint agrees to halt revolution IF France ends slavery-they reach an agreement but then accuse Toussaint of stirring up trouble and imprison him-deal is off…
But he will die in prison in the French Alps
He will be replaced by one of his lieutenants, Jean-Jacques Dessalines

15. Dessalines Wins
The French suffer military losses, as well as losses from native diseases, most notably dengue fever
On January 1, 1804, Dessaline proclaims independence, calling the land Haiti (it means “Mountainous Land”)
It is the second successful revolution in the Western Hemisphere, following only the United States

16. The Napoleon Effect…
Napoleon’s dominance of Europe will lead to a host of Independence movements in South America
Napoleon conquers Spain
& removes Spanish King Ferdinand VII and installs his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne

17. In South America
Revolutions will start not among the slaves, but among the creoles
Creoles could hold some government jobs, and could also rise to command in the army
They were mostly content with that when they were ruled by the Spanish
However, they felt no loyalty at all to a king that had been installed by the French

18. Two Predominant Generals
South American Revolutions are largely led by two men
The first is Simon Bolivar, a creole from Venezuela who was already quite wealthy
The second is Jose de San Martin from Argentina

19. Venezuela Declares Independence
Bolivar raised a revolutionary army and declared independence in 1811
However, he still had to fight several armies of Spaniards
Twice he was driven into exile when his armies were defeated, but he raised new armies and kept fighting

20. In August 1819
Simon Bolivar attacked a Spanish army outpost in Colombia, which controlled Venezuela
He caught the Spanish by surprise, winning independence for Venezuela, but also for Colombia

21. San Martin’s Nation of Argentina
Became independent in 1816
However, Spanish forces threatened the new nation from nearby Chile and Peru
Rather than wait to be attacked, San Martin led an army across the Andes and defeated the Spanish
Chile becomes independent in 1817

22. The Remaining Spanish Forces…
Flee to Peru
Martin begins to work on a plan to conquer the Spanish once and for all

23. Meanwhile. . . Bolivar has moved into Ecuador
He and San Martin agree to meet to discuss tactics
No one knows exactly how it happened, but San Martin essentially gave his whole army to Bolivar

24. Bolivar Moves on Peru
With San Martin’s army added to his own, Bolivar directs his troops against the Spanish in Peru
The two sides
would meet for
one last battle, the
Battle of Ayacucho
in 1824.

25. Bolivar Wins The Spanish are defeated at Ayacucho
Together, Bolivar and San Martin achieved independence for Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, and Bolivia