1.  What was the “Grito de Delores”?  Who was Father Miguel Hidalgo?  How did the Age of Enlightenment change traditional ways of thinking?  What role did the “precursors” of the revolutions, such as Francisco de Miranda, play in encouraging new ways of thinking?  How did Spain change its policy regarding the hiring of government officials in the colonies?  How did Creoles and Peninsulares feel about each other?

2.  What issues of trade and commerce aggravated many Creole businessmen?  How did the Spanish colonies of Latin America view their place within the Empire?  How did Napoleon’s invasion of Spain and Portugal play out?  Where did the Portuguese royal family move to?  Whom did Napoleon place on the throne of Spain?  What was a junta?  How did the colonial juntas respond to the juntas in Spain?

3.  In what way was the Napoleonic invasion of the Iberian Peninsula the straw that broke the colonial back?  Why did the Hidalgo revolt receive little support from the Creoles of New Spain?  What policies was Hidalgo looking to change in his attempted revolution?  What was Bolivar’s appraisal of Latin America according to his “Jamaica Letter” of 1815?  What did the Creoles of Venezuela declare on July 5, 1811?  Was that declaration welcomed by everyone in Venezuela?

4.  Who was Simon Bolivar?  How did his experiences in Europe shape his political beliefs and ambitions?  Whom did Bolivar convince to lead the first attempt at establishing Venezuelan independence?  What role did an earthquake play in bringing about an end to the First Republic in Venezuela?  How did Bolivar react to news that Miranda was secretly negotiating a surrender with Royalist forces?  What happened to the First Republic of Venezuela?

5.  What happened in Buenos Aires on July 27, 1806?  What was the purpose of the English invasion?  How did the viceroy and peninsulares respond?  How did the local Creoles respond?  What did the British do after being driven out of Buenos Aires?  How did the occupation of Montevideo turn out for the British?  Why did the Creoles not welcome the British?

6.  What did the locals do with the Spanish viceroy of the La Plata region?  What is a cabildo abierto?  What sort of reforms did the new junta of Buenos Aires bring in?  What were portenos?  Why was there a split between many of the portenos and their compatriots who lived farther inland?  Describe the socio-economic structure of Bolivia.  How had the Tupac Amaru II uprising in the late 1700s affected the Creole elite in Bolivia?

7.  How did the first attempt at revolution in Bolivia make out in 1809? Why?  From where was the idea of revolution introduced to Bolivia? How?  In 1810 Buenos Aires sent an army into Bolivia to bring freedom. How did the expedition go?  Why did many of the Bolivian Creoles not welcome the liberating army from Buenos Aires?  How did the second expedition, launched in 1813, turn out?  How did the third expedition, in 1815, end up?

8.  Who were the montoneros?  Why were Lima and Buenos Aires so determined to take control of Bolivia (Upper Peru)?  Why did the local Creole elite tend to side with Lima?  What were the obstacles Buenos Aires faced in trying to subdue Bolivia?  What were some of the advantages and disadvantages to independence minded Montevideans as a result of the city’s location?

9.  Who was Jose Artigas?  What is a caudillo?  What was the “Grito de Asuncion”, issued in February 1811?  How did the Spanish viceroy in Montevideo handle the dual attack from Uruguayan and Argentine patriots?  How did the Argentines respond to Brazil’s incursion into the Rio de la Plata region?  Why is Artigas’ retreat from Montevideo into the hinterland considered a significant moment in Uruguayan history?  What happened in 1817 after Artigas has taken control of Montevideo?

10.  How long would it be until Uruguay became an independent country?  Why did it take so long?  What was Paraguay’s social and economic state as of 1810?  How did the Paraguayans react to Spain’s attempt to speak for all the colonies?  How did Buenos Aires react to Paraguay’s refusal to go along with its junta?  How did the military campaign go for the Argentines?  What did Paraguay do on May 17, 1811?

11.  Did Paraguay develop into a democracy right away?  What did Jose Francia declare himself to be in 1815?  Why do you think it was relatively easy for Paraguay to reach independence?  Why would many Chilean Creoles already consider themselves to be Chilean by the time Napoleon invaded Spain?  How did the Creoles of Chile outmaneuver the viceroy?  What did the cabildo abierto of September 10, 1810 decide?

12.  What steps did the junta take that were clear indicators of a desire for independence?  What did Jose Carrera do in July of 1811? Why?  What reforms did Carrera institute while in power?  Was everyone happy with Carrera’s style of leadership? Why not?  Who was Bernardo O’Higgins?  Where did the most serious opposition to Chilean independence come from?  Where did O’Higgins and many of the survivors of the Battle of Rancagua flee?  What were the following years like for the patriotic Creoles of Chile?

13.  How did the journey to independence begin for the people of Ecuador?  Why did they not achieve independence until Bolivar’s armies marched south from Colombia in 1822?  Why did the juntas of Colombia ultimately fail?  Why did Bolivar leave Colombia for Jamaica?  Why did most of the Creoles of Peru not take up the cause of Independence?  What impact did the native rebellion led by Mateo Pumacahua have on the Creoles?  What role did the Viceroy of Peru, Jose Fernando de Abascal play in the counter- revolutionary movement?

14.  What was happening in Spain while the colonies were considering independence?  What was the Cortes convened in Spain and what sort of decisions did it make?  Were Creole representatives from the Americas permitted to attend?  How did the Creoles who went feel about their treatment?  Why was the liberal constitution of 1812 short lived?  Why was Ferdinand VII able to reassert royal control over the colonies?

15.  Who was Jose Maria Morelos?  What did he declare in 1810?  Why was popular with the lower classes in Mexico?  What did he mean when he declared that “all the inhabitants except Europeans…will be known as Americans”?  What types of reforms did he support?  Why did the Creoles of Mexico not support him?  What happened to Morelos on December 22, 1815?  To where did Bolivar flee after the defeat of the First Republic in Venezuela?  What did Bolivar call for in the Cartegena Manifesto?

16.  What would have caused Bolivar to come to the conclusion that unity was the key to winning independence?  What moment of glory did Bolivar experience in 1813?  Why didn’t it last?  Who were the llaneros?  Why did many blacks, and pardos not support the revolutionary cause?  When did the second Venezuelan republic come to an end?  What was the state of Spanish America by the end of 1816?

17.  What was Great Britain’s attitude toward the rebellious colonies of Spanish America?  How did this somewhat contradict their policy towards Spain?  What was the level of US involvement in Latin America?  Why did they take a position of neutrality?  Why did Haiti support Bolivar’s cause?  When did Bolivar return to Venezuela?  What type of government did Bolivar propose in his Jamaica letter?  Why did he feel the need for a strong executive?

18.  Which part of Venezuela did Bolivar make his “home base”?  Why did the llanos prove to be an excellent region in which to operate?  Who was Joes Antonio Paez?  How did Bolivar change the direction of the war in 1819?  Was his attack into Colombia successful?  Why is the Battle of Boyaca on August 7, 1819 important?  What role did British soldiers play in the battles in Venezuela and Colombia?

19.  In what shape had Bolivar’s push toward Caracas left him and his army?  What was Britain’s position on the recruitment of British citizens to serve in Bolivar’s army?  How did being named president of Venezuela help Bolivar’s cause? Did it make much of a difference in actuality?  How did Bolivar’s daily routine display his energy and win the loyalty of his soldiers?  Why did Bolivar decide to attack in New Granada (Colombia)?

20.  What evidence is there of a rivalry between Bolivar and Paez?  What was the journey through the floodplains and into the mountains like for the Army of the West?  What was the state of the army as it came out of the mountains?  How did it survive?  Why did opposing forces not crush Bolivar’s army as it came through the mountains?

21.  What was the order of battle at Boyaca Bridge. August 7 th, 1819?  How did the Viceroy and other Spanish officials in Bogota react to the news of the victory at Boyaca?  Provide evidence of just how important the victory was to the overall course of independence in Spanish America.  Why was Bolivar upset with Santander’s decision to execute Royalist prisoners in Bogota?  What events in Spain helped Bolivar’s campaign in Venezuela in 1820?  Why is the Battle of Carabobo, on June 24, 1821, important?  How did Bolivar feel about the Paez and the Llaneros? How did he handle them?

22.  What was Gran Colombia and who was named as it’s president?  What sort of constitution did the new state possess?  Who was General Antonio José de Sucre?  What did Bolivar think of him?  What role did he play in the liberation of Ecuador and Peru?  What happened on the slopes of Pichincha on May 24, 1822?  Who finally met in the city of Guayaquil in July of 1822?  What had San Martin accomplished by late 1816?

23.  What was San Martin’s strategic vision, or what did he plan to do with his new army?  What was the political situation in Buenos Aires by 1816?  What happened at Tucumán in 1816?  What did the constitution of the newly independent Argentina call for?  Why did some of the provinces revolt against it?  What evidence is there that San Martin was a modest man, not overly interested in fighting for personal gain?  How would you describe San Martin’s preparations for his invasion of Chile?  What challenges did San Martin had to consider while planning his crossing of the Andes?  How did he plan to overcome them?

24.  What role did the Lautaro Lodge play in supplying San Martin’s army while maintaining secrecy?  From where were the soldiers who made up the Army of the Andes?  How did San Martin handle the issue of including former slaves in the army?  How did San Martin manage to surprise the royalist forces in Chile?  What toll did the passage of the Andes take on the men and animals of the army?  Why did San Martin order his army, lacking artillery, to attack the royalist forces at Chacabuco?  What role did O’Higgins play in the battle? Did the Argentines appreciate his efforts?

25.  Was the victory at Chacabuco decisive?  What did it allow the Army of the Andes to do?  Why did San Martin want O’Higgins to head up the new Chilean government?  Would it be fair to say that in his success San Martin had risen above the politics of Buenos Aires?  Why did San Martin want to cultivate a special relationship with Britain?  What was San Martin’s opinion of the creole elite in Chile?  How important was the patriot victory on the plains of Maipu on April 5 th, 1818?  What was his strategic plan for Chile and Peru?

26.  What was San Martin’s act of “historic disobedience?”  How did he end up having to make such a decision?  From where did San Martin get the ships to build his new navy?  Who was Thomas Cochrane?  What sort of commander was he?  When did San Martin head for Peru?  How did he get there?

27.  Why did San Martin’s strategy to take Peru hinge on the patriot’s ability to win the support of the Peruvian people, particularly the Creole elite?  What sort of government did San Martin want for Peru?  Did San Martin’s declaration of Peruvian independence on July 28, 1820, after occupying Lima reflect the true state of affairs in Peru?  What sorts of problems did San Martin face as he planned his attack on the highlands?

28.  What was the nature of the discussion between Bolivar and San Martin at Guayaquil in July1822?  Why did San Martin leave the meeting and head into exile in Europe?  What did Spanish liberals force Ferdinand VII to do in 1820?  What new measures did the Cortes bring in?  Why would Creoles in Mexico not like these developments?  Who was Agustin de Iturbide?  What did he intend to do?

29.  What was Iturbide supposed to do when he led his army into the field in late 1820? What did he actually do?  Who was Vicente Guerrero?  Why did the two join forces?  What was the “Plan of Iguala”?  What were the three guarantees that the plan presented to the people of Mexico?  What is important about September 28, 1821?  Whom did they recruit to be the emperor of the new Mexican empire?

30.  How did Iturbide do as Emperor Augustin I?  Who became the first president of Mexico in 1824?  Was there any significant movement for independence in the colonies of Central America?  How did they break away from Spain?  In July of 1823 the United Provinces of Central America was born. Which nations were part of it?  When did Bolivar travel to Peru and why?  What title did the Peruvian congress give to Bolivar?

31.  Why did Bolivar refer to Peru as a “chamber of horrors”?  By August 6, 1824 what was the background and quality of Bolivar’s army?  Why was the battle of Junin important?  What happened on December 8, 1824 at the Battle of Ayacucho?  What role did Sucre play in bringing out the final defeat of royalist forces in Upper Peru?  On August 6, 1824 Bolivia officially declared independence. What sort of constitution did Bolivar create for the new country?

32.  Why was the constitution considered to be poorly designed?  How had King Joao transformed Brazil’s status with relation to Portugal?  How did Brazil benefit from serving as a royal capital?  Why did King Joao finally return to Portugal?  Whom did he leave behind to run things in Brazil?  Why did many Brazilians resent the presence of the Portuguese who arrived with the king?  What did the Portuguese Cortes do in 1821 that most Brazilian Creoles just could not accept?  What had the king advised Prince Pedro to do if things got ugly in Brazil?

33.  What did Pedro declare in his Grito de Ipiranga in September of 1822?  Was there a prolonged and bloody fight for Brazilian independence?  Was it smooth sailing for Pedro in the new Empire of Brazil?  Did people appreciate his insistence on a conservative constitution?  What was the benefit of Pedro’s presence in Brazil?