1. Latin American Independence
In this lesson, students will be able to explain the accomplishments of the following individuals:
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Jose de San Martin
Simon Bolivar
Miguel Hidalgo
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2. The American and French Revolutions
spread the idea that people were entitled
to a government that protected
their interests.
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3. When Napoleon conquered Spain, Latin Americans were able to govern
themselves.
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4. Reasons for Nationalist Movements
Latin Americans resented restrictions that forbade them to trade with countries other than Spain.
Latin Americans resented restrictions that prevented them from manufacturing their own goods.
The American and French Revolutions encouraged freedom and self-rule.
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5. After Napoleon’s defeat, many Latin
American colonies refused to return to
Spanish rule and demanded independence.
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6. Toussaint L’Ouverture
led an uprising of
African slaves in
1791, forcing the
French out of Haiti.
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7. Haiti was the first Latin American colony to achieve independence.
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8. Simon Bolivar defeated Spanish forces between 1819 and 1825,
liberating
Venezuela, Colombia,
Ecuador, Peru
and Bolivia.
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9. Jose de San Martin worked to liberate Argentina and Chile from
Spanish rule in the years 1816 to
1818.
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10. Miguel Hidalgo, a priest, began a rebellion against Spanish
rule in Mexico
in 1810, but the
uprising failed.
Mexico later
achieved
its independence
in 1821.
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11. President Monroe of the United States
issued the Monroe Doctrine in 1823.
It stated the United States would oppose
any attempt by Europeans to establish
new colonies in the Americas.
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12. The Monroe Doctrine made it clear to the world that the United States
had special interests in the Western
Hemisphere.
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13. After independence, dictatorships, unstable governments, and poverty
affected many Latin American nations.
Land and wealth remained in
the hands of a small elite. Caudillos or
military leaders ruled in some places.
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14. Questions for Reflection:
What were the causes of the Latin American independence movements?
Who was Toussaint L’Ouverture and what did he accomplish?
What were the accomplishments of Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin?
Compare and contrast Miguel Hidalgo and Toussaint L’Ouverture.
What happened to the newly independent nations?
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