Latin American Wars of Independence Sources of Discontent A revolutionary fever gripped Western Europe, which also spread to Latin America by the late 1700s. In the 300 years that the Spanish had ruled, discontent was rooted in the social, racial, and political system had emerged. Ethnic and Social Hierarchy Spanish born peninsulares (members of the highest class in Spain's colonies in the America’s) dominated the Latin American political and social life. They were the only people who could hold top jobs in government and the church. Creoles were people in Spain’s colonies in the American born descendents of Spanish settlers. They owned haciendas, ranches, and mines. They also bitterly resented their second class status. The mestizos ( people in Spain's colonies in the America's who were of native American and European descent).

Mulattoes (in Spain’s American colonies the people who were of African and European descent) they were angry at being denied the status, wealth, and power that were available to whites. Native Americans suffered economic misery under the Spanish, who had conquered the lands of their ancestors. Once independence was achieved the creoles, who led the revolt dominated government. Enlightenment Ideas In the 1700s, creoles that were educated read the works of Enlightenment thinkers. Translations of the declaration of independence and the constitution of the untied states even circulated among the creoles elite. Women actively participated in the exchange of ideas and attend salons called tertulias where independence and revolution were discussed. Simon Bolivar was a Creole who traveled to Europe and was inspired by liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Napoleon Bonaparte When Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808, he sparked the wide spread of rebellion in Latin America. When Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808, he sparked the wide spread of rebellion in Latin America. He assigned his brother Joseph to take over the Spanish throne. He assigned his brother Joseph to take over the Spanish throne. In Latin American leaders saw In Latin American leaders saw Spain’s weakness as an Spain’s weakness as an opportunity to reject foreign opportunity to reject foreign domination and demand domination and demand independence from colonial rule. independence from colonial rule.