1. Latin American Independence
Standard 7-3.3

2. Ruling the Colonies
Colonies existed to give money and resources to the home country (cash crops and wood)
Catholic church:
Converted natives in Latin America
Held high government offices
Controlled half of the wealth of L.A.

3. Ruling the Colonies Social Order
Penisulares (Europeans) – held important military and government positions in the colonies
Creoles (parents are European but they are born in the colonies) – controlled land and business in the colonies, educated in Europe. This group will lead most of the revolutions in Latin America!
Mestizos (Native American and European ancestry) and Mulattos (African and European ancestry) – worked as servants
Indians
Slaves

4. Haiti (Saint-Dominigue)
First country to rebel in Latin America,
only successful slave revolt in history
Sugar and coffee plantations were essential to France
450,000 of 500,000 people were slaves
1794: Francois Toussaint L’Ouverture (former slave) led a revolt – plantations were burned. He takes control.
1802: Napoleon sent military to take back over Haiti.
L’Ouverture is capture and sent to a French prison to die.
Yellow fever is spread around the island, killing the French soldiers.
Rebel army beats the French and gets independence in

5. Creoles
Feelings of nationalism toward the countries in Latin America inspired the creoles to desire self-rule and to create equality in the social classes.
Used Enlightenment ideas such as Locke’s “consent of the government” and feelings of nationalism to justify rebellion against Spain!
Will use Spain’s preoccupation with the Napoleonic Wars to begin their rebellion.

6. Mexico
1810 – Father Miguel Hidalgo wants to help the poor Indians and mestizos
Started as a freedom march to Mexico City, but grew as thousands joined in.
Set up a government in Guadalajara.
Spain sends 6,000 soldiers to help the upper classes defeat 80,000 Hidalgo supporters.
Hidalgo is captured and executed in 1811.

7. Mexico Another revolt four years later also fails.
Finally, Mexico gained independence in 1821 when the Creoles, led by Agustin de Iturbide, declared independence form Spain.
Then the United Provinces of Central America broke from Mexico.
In the 1830’s, UPCA was divided into Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

8. South America
1808: Napoleon takes control of Spain, gives the South American colonies an opportunity to revolt
Simon Bolivar (from Venezuela) led many colonies to independence. He was inspired by the French Revolution
He won independence for Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Bolivia, and Ecuador

9. South America
At the same time, Jose de San Martin (Argentina) and Bernardo O’Higgins worked to achieve independence for Chile and Peru.
Martin and Bolivar met in Ecuador to discuss independence, but couldn’t agree on strategy. Martin lets Bolivar take control.
By 1826, all of South America was liberated

10. Brazil Bloodless revolution!
Napoleon invades Portugal in 1808 causing King Joao to escape to Brazil.
King Joao improved trade and agriculture ($$$)
Funded public education, military schools, medical schools, and an art school
1815 King Joao declares Brazil’s independence
In 1820, he returns to Portugal and puts his son, Pedro, in charge of Brazil
In 1822, Pedro gets full independence, names himself Emperor Pedro 1.
Brazil becomes a constitutional monarchy.

11. Challenges to Growth
Geography: mountains and jungles make communication and transportation difficult
Colonies were used to a very controlling government (authoritarian). New leaders had no experience in leading.
Social classes remained, but the creoles moved to the top of the food chain.
Many countries turned into military dictatorships.