Origins of the Latin American Revolts Ideals of the American and French Revolutions Creole elites' resentment of European domination Napoleon's weakening of Spain and Portugal

Discussion Why were creole elites interested in revolutionary ideals? They resented the ways in which Spain and Portugal controlled trade, and they wanted to be able to govern their lands.

Background François-Dominique Toussaint (1743–1803) was born into slavery in Saint Domingue on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Toussaint was freed in 1777, and he remained committed to the goal of emancipation. He joined a slave uprising in 1791 and soon began training his soldiers in the tactics of guerrilla warfare. In 1793, he addedLouverture, meaning "opening," to his name. Toussaint eventually provided troops to the French in their war with Spain, because the French National Convention had abolished slavery, while the Spanish had not. The Spanish were eventually expelled from Saint Domingue, and Toussaint became governor-general. While slavery ended in the French half of the island, Saint Domingue, it persisted in the Spanish half of the island, Santo Domingo. In 1801, Toussaint defeated the Spanish, who left the island. Toussaint wrote a new constitution that gave him the complete power to rule. While Toussaint claimed to still support France, Napoleon Bonaparte did not trust him. In 1802, an overwhelming French force invaded the island, defeating Toussaint and his supporters. Suspected of plotting an uprising, Toussaint was captured and sent to France, where he died in prison.

Revolutions in Latin America Haiti gained independence first. Creoles and peninsulares led revolt in Mexico. Bolívar and San Martín in South America Fear of British Navy discouraged recolonization.

Discussion What South American and Central American countries gained independence in the early 1800s? Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Brazil; Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua