LATIN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS

Power & wealth Good land & homes Work the hardest for the littlest reward Resent (angry/dislike) their place in society Greatest number of people in society Living the ‘good life’ Struggling to survive Would love to change their situation--liberal Lack of education, adequate medical care, basic necessities Relatively little work— no manual labor Conservative—keep things the same Fewest people because there’s only so much power and money to go around Strength in numbers

During the Age of Exploration… Latin America had been colonized (taken over) by the Spanish and the Portuguese

With the Europeans in Control… Peninsulares— Spanish-born (European) Held all power in Latin America

With the Europeans in Control… Creoles—Persons of European (Spanish) decent but born in Latin America Resented their lack of power in Latin America

With the Europeans in Control… Mestizo—Mixture of Native American and European Mulatto—Mixture of African and European Native Americans & African slaves Peninsulares Creoles

Encommienda System… System in which persons of “low societal value” do all the work but high society reaps (gets) all of the benefitsSystem in which persons of “low societal value” do all the work but high society reaps (gets) all of the benefits Mestizos, mullatoes, Natives and slaves do the work…Peninsulares and creoles get all the benefitsMestizos, mullatoes, Natives and slaves do the work…Peninsulares and creoles get all the benefits

How Would You Feel??? A foreign country invades your homeland, steals your natural resources, brings diseases for which you have no immunities (killing millions), imports African slaves to ‘replace’ Native workers who have died and they are forcing you to do all of their work!!!

CAUSES Encommienda system The Enlightenment American Revolution French Revolution

Influences on Independence Movement… 1700s—Enlightenment People begin to question governmental power…is it fair, is it right? According to Locke, an unjust government can be overthrown

Influences on Independence Movement… 1776—American Revolution Latin Americans see that a ‘lowly group of rebels’ (American colonists) can defeat the mighty British The idea of revolution spreads

Influences on Independence Movement… French Revolution ANOTHER successful revolution led by peasants… If the Americans can defeat the British and the French can de- throne an absolute monarch…what can the people of Latin America do???

What Does Napoleon Have to do With This??? Remember…Napoleon was taking over countries in Europe; one such country was Spain Napoleon’s brother took the throne of Spain and the people of Spain had some decisions to make… 1. Focus their energy on getting their country back from the French… OR 2. Control the latin American colonies an ocean away…

For Your Notes… Napoleon’s Role in Latin America Napoleon took over European countries such as Spain and forced the Spanish to focus on regaining control of their country Because the Spanish were focused on domestic (at-home) affairs, they loosened their grip on their Latin American colonies…this made it the perfect time for people to step forth as leaders of independence movements

LeaderNat ion (s) Causes of Discontent /Motives ActionsResults Toussaint L’Ouverture HAITIHAITI Horrible working conditions for slaves  overworked  underfed Few rights & poor treatment of mulattoes/ mestizos Fought for freedom from France Led a group of revolting slaves  Got slaves freed Rebuilt Haiti  Toussaint died before independence * Napoleon left Haiti because yellow fever was destroying his army * 1804—Haitian independence

Miguel Hidalgo MexicoMexico Hated European control of Mexico * Saw slavery in Mexico and poor treatment of Natives as unfair * He was a priest who called on his parishioners to take up arms against the Spanish * Led a group to Mexico City— slaughtered peninsulares on the way He was captured and executed

“The Liberator” Simon Bolivar Vene zuala Colu mbia Ecua dor Peru Boliv ia  Lack of freedoms  Inequality in society  Economic hardship Set up an alliance with Venezuelan cowboys  Joined together with Jose de san Martin  Wanted to create a single nation (Gran Columbia) but failed Successfully gained independence for Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia

Jose de San Martin Ar g e n t i n a Chile Peru  Detested European control of Latin American territory Led an army using his European military training Won freedom from the Spanish in Argentina, Chile & Peru

EFFECTS ECONOMIC POLITICALINTERNATIONAL

POLITICAL: THE CAUDILLOS * By 1830, nearly all Latin American countries were ruled by caudillos. * The upper classes supported dictatorship because it kept the lower classes out of power. * The lower classes did not have experience with democracy. Dictatorship seemed normal. WHY? EFFECT S

ECONOMIC: ONE-CROP ECONOMIES * Now that trade was not restricted to the mother country, the U.S. and Great Britain became the new countries’ major trading partners. * A colonial economy continued…Latin America mainly exported cash crops and raw materials while importing manufactured goods.

AN IMBALANCE OF TRADE * As the imbalance of trade grew, Latin American countries took out large loans from the U.S., Britain, and Germany to build infrastructure. * When the countries could not pay back their loans, foreign lenders gained control of major industries in Latin America.

THE QUESTION OF LAND * Thus, the creoles replaced the peninsulares at the top of the social pyramid, but other classes remained at the bottom of the ladder. * Once the Spaniards were expelled, the new governments seized their lands and put them up for sale, BUT….only the creoles could afford to buy them. NO! EFFECT S AT LEAST, DID THE SOCIAL PYRAMID CHANGE?