1750-1914:

An Age of
Revolutions

Latin American
Independence
Movements
 Background

Indigenous peoples and civilizations

Maya, Aztec, Inca

European Colonization, 1500s

Spain, Portugal, France

American Revolution, 1776

French Revolution and Enlightenment,

1789

Napoleons conquests within Europe,

1800s
Latin American Independence Movements, 18th & 19th C.
Spanish Colonies

Revolutions against
Spanish Rule
 Latin American social classes

Peninsulares - men born in Spain

held highest offices

Creoles - Spaniards born in Latin America

officers in army, but not in government

often resented power of the peninsulares

Mestizos - mixed European and Indian

Mulattos - mixed European and African

Indians
 European Background:
Napoleon

Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808.

Removed Spains King Ferdinand VII and

made Joseph (Naps brother) king of
Spain.

Creoles used it as a reason for

revolution.

1810 rebellion across Latin America.

1814, Napoleon defeated and Ferdinand

returned to power, but creoles contd their
movement.
Francisco Goya, Executions of May 3, 1808
 Simon Bolivar

Wealthy Venezuelan creole.

The Liberator
 Venezuelan Independence, 1821

Venezuela declared independence,

1811.
JOSE DE SAN MARTN

Simple,
modest man.

Born in
Argentina,
spent time in
Spain as
military
officer.
Argentinean Independence

Argentina declared
independence in 1816.

San Martin led army across

Andes to Chile, joined by
Bernardo OHiggins, and freed
Chile.

Ecuador, 1822: San Martin

met with Bolivar to decide
how to remove remaining
Spanish forces in Lima, Peru.
 Mexico

Indians and mestizos, not creoles,

played the key role in
independence movements.

Creoles sided with Spain to avoid

violence of lower-class
rebellions (until 1820).
 Miguel Hidalgo

A village priest, believed

in Enlightenment ideals.

1810, called for

revolution.
Grito de Dolores (call
for revolution)

Hidalgos Indian and mestizo followers

marched to Mexico City.

Spanish army and creoles acted against

Hidalgo and defeated him in 1811.
 Mexican Independence, 1821

1820 revolution in Spain put a liberal

government in power.

Mexican creoles feared loss of

influence, so they united against Spain.

Agustin Iturbide declared himself

emperor, but was overthrown.

1824: Establishment of the Mexican

Republic.
 UNITED PROVINCES OF CENTRAL AMERICA

Several other Central American states

declared their independence from both
Spain and Mexico to create the
United Provinces of Central America.

By 1841, United Provinces of
Central America had split into
republics of El Salvador, Nicaragua,
Costa Rica, Guatemala and
Honduras.

Conservative clergy and wealthy

landowners resisted liberal,
democratic reforms.

Inability to agree to terms of a canal

cost it much-needed revenue.