1. Do Now ON page 41
“I will not rest until I have broken the chains that bind us to the will of Spain.”
Copy the quote.
Without knowing anything about this quote, tell me what you think it means.
Predict what area of the world you think we’ll be studying over the next few days.
Who do you think said this? Why do you think they said this?

2. Imperialism and Independence in Latin America
Page 42 in your notebook

3. Setting the stage for revolution
Haiti was the first Latin American territory to declare independence from European rule (France)
500,000 enslaved Africans lived at the bottom of the social structure
Led by an ex-slave, Toussaint L’Ouverture, & his general, Dessalines, the colony declared itself independent in 1804

4. Meanwhile… in the rest of Latin America

5. Social Structure in Latin America
Peninsulares Born in Spain; only people who could hold colonial office in Spanish gov’t
Creoles Spaniards born in Latin America; couldn’t hold office but could rise up in Spanish colonial armies
Mestizos Mixed European and Indian ancestry
Mulattos Mixed European and African ancestry
Indians Native people from Latin America
These two minority groups controlled the wealth and power in the Spanish colonies.

6. Creoles Spearhead Independence
Many young creoles traveled to Europe & learned Enlightenment ideas
Returned to Latin America and brought ideas of revolution with them
Creoles thought Spain had committed serious injustices on them

7. Events in Europe Napoleon’s conquest of Spain was the “last straw”
He removed the Spanish King and replaced him with his brother (Joseph)
Spanish people felt no loyalty to a king imposed on them by the French
This triggered revolts in the Spanish colonies in Latin America
Even when Napoleon was defeated and the rightful Spanish king returned, the drive for independence continued

8. The libertadores Simon Bolivar was a wealthy creole
A dashing, practical, & brave general
Led his volunteer army to gain independence for Venezuela through a long struggle (he went into exile twice!)

9. ..cont’d Jose de San Martin was simple & modest, but very courageous
Spent much of his youth as a military officer in Spain
Joined forces with Bolivar to gain independence for Argentina and Peru

10. In Mexico
Mestizos & Indians led revolution
Miguel Hidalgo, a priest, was the first to call his villagers to rebellion
Led an unruly
mob of 60,000
men to Mexico
City - defeated
by Spanish
army

11. …Cont’d
People rallied again under Jose Maria Morelos with little success
Tide turned when creoles joined the revolution b/c they feared loss of power
Independence was declared for Mexico in 1821

12. In Brazil
When Napoleon invaded nearby countries, the Portuguese royal family fled back home
For 14 years, Brazil because the center of the Portuguese empire
They developed a deep sense of independence
After Napoleon’s defeat, Portuguese gov’t wanted to turn Brazil into a colony again
Creoles demanded independence from Portugal with a petition and asked the Portuguese King’s son to rule. He agreed.

13. Effects of independence
Independence actually brought an increase in poverty
Wars had disrupted trade and devastated cities/countryside
Dream of a united Latin America fell apart, and by 1841, countries had quickly divided into the countries we now know