School: Tiempo Educativo 5th grade

Name:________________________________ Tuesday, 7th July

In Argentina, July 9th is a national holiday: Independence Day.

The territory known today as Argentina was once part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of the Rio
de la Plata and its capital city was Buenos Aires. It was ruled by a viceroy (deputy)
appointed by the Spanish Crown.
News that Napoleon deposed King Fernando VII of Spain and others events led to the May
Revolution of 1810. The revolution ended the authority of the Viceroy and replaced it with
the “Primera Junta”. When the king returned in 1814, Spain wanted to recover control over
its colonies in the Americas. Their campaign was victorious in Peru, from which they
planned to attack the bases of General Jose de San Martin and then go to Buenos Aires.
A general assembly was called in Buenos Aires to discuss future military campaigns. The
assembly elected the first Supreme Director in 1814.
With the King back in power, and the Spanish Army trying to advance, an urgent decision
was needed regarding independence. On April 15, 1815, a revolution ended the
government of the Supreme Director and asked for a General Congress. The provinces
sent 33 delegate deputies to the sessions, which started on March 24, 1816. The congress
sessions were held in the city of Tucumán, with a different president every month. The
building where the congress took place is called the House of Tucumán.
The Independence of Argentina was declared on July 9, 1816, and the “Acta de
Independencia” was created. The president at that moment was Francisco Narciso de
Laprida.

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1 – Read the text carefully. Look the words you don’t know up in a dictionary.

2 – Look at the pictures and write:

Picture 1: It is __________________________________________________.

Picture 2: It was _________________________________________________.

Picture 3: He was ________________________________________________.