World Cultures 11

Unit III: Latin America

Name: ______________________________
Date:

LATIN AMERICAN PEOPLES WIN INDEPENDENCE

Directions: After reading the document below, please answer the following questions completely and
thoroughly in complete sentence format.
Background Question:
1. What three factors motivated the people of Latin America to rebel against their European
controllers?
- The three factors were the ideas of liberty, equality, and democratic rule.

Haitian Independence
1. Who controlled the colony of Haiti and what two leaders where responsible for their
independence?
-

The French controlled the colony. Toussaint LOuverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines
fought for their independence.

2. Why were they able to win their independence so quickly and easily?
-

Because they were the first black colony to free themselves.

3. How was this movement for independence different from revolutions in the rest of Latin
America? [You will have to answer this question after reading the entire document.]
- It was the quickest and easiest of all of the independence movements.

Viceroyalty of Peru
1. Identify and explain the specific events on the European continent effected the movement for
independence in Peru.
-

The struggle of independence in Peru began with Bolivar. He had numerous defeats and was
sent to exile twice. The turning point was when he and 2000 other soldiers went on a march
through the Andes and into what is now Colombia. He won Venezuelas independence and
moved down south to meet Jose de San Martin in Ecuador. San Martin then won
independence for both Peru and Chille.

2. The movement from independence was spearheaded by what two creoles. Who were they and
explain how they were able to gain it.
- Bolivar and San Martin were the creoles. They were from 2 parts of Latin America. Bolivar
was a wealthy Venezuelan and Martin was from Argentina. They won independence by taking
theyre soldiers and fighting for what they wanted in Spanish Territories.

3. What name did they give to the independent viceroyalty?

- Gran Colombia.

Viceroyalty of New Spain

1. How did the movement for independence differ from that of Peru?
-

It was different because this war started with poor, uneducated men where Peru started
their independence with rich creoles.

2. The movement began with the leadership of what two leaders? Explain their rebellion and its
successes/failures.
-

The two leaders were Migule Hidalgo and Jose Maria Morelos. Hidalgo issued a call to
rebel which was named the Grito de Colores. He led a march through Mexico City which led the
army to defeat Hidalgo in the year of 1811. After this Morelos led the revolution for 4 more years
but was then defeated by a creole officer.

3. Ironically, a creole DID eventually was successful in gaining freedom from Spain. Who was he,
and whey did favor independence in 1820 when he did not earlier?
-

Agustin de Iturbide was the man responsible for gaining freedom from Spain. He was known as
the man who defeated Morelos. A year later, he proclaimed independence because of
a revolution that took place in Spain put a liberal group in power and the creoles
feared that they would lose their privileges.

4. What government/title did this liberator give the newly independent viceroyalty?
What happened to his government?
- Iturbide declared himself emperor and did not and would not recognize the Declaration of
Independence. Because of that, he was overthrown in 1823.

Brazil
1. Why was this colony governed differently than the Spanish colonies just prior to independence?
- The royal family escaped from the Napoleon by going to Brazil so they played a huge role.
When Napoleon was overthrown, they went back and had their son take over the land.

2. How did the movement for independence differ in this Portuguese colony than those of the
Spanish colonies?
- It was different because there wasnt any blood or violence that occurred to gain the
independence. Portuguese was a part of this because they helped free Spain.