1. 1750-1914: An Age of Revolutions
Latin American Independence Movements

2. Focus Questions What caused discontent in Latin America?
How did Haitians, Mexicans, and people in Central America win independence?
How did nations of South America win independence?

3. Background Indigenous peoples and civilizations
Maya, Aztec, Inca
European Colonization, 1500s
Spain, Portugal, France
American Revolution, 1776
French Revolution and Enlightenment, 1789
Napoleon’s conquests within Europe, 1800s

4. Latin American Independence Movements, 18th & 19th C.

5. Struggles for Independence
HAITI
MEXICO
CENTRAL AMERICA
In 1791, Toussaint L’Ouverture led slaves in revolt.
By 1798, enslaved Haitians had been freed.
In 1802, Napoleon sent an army to recapture Haiti.
Napoleon’s forces agreed to a truce, or temporary peace.
In 1804, Haitian leaders declared independence.
Father Miguel Hidalgo and José Morales led popular revolts.
Rebels led by Agustín de Iturbide overthrew the Spanish viceroy, creating an independent Mexico.
Iturbide took the title of emperor, but was quickly overthrown.
Liberal Mexicans set up the Republic of Mexico.
Spanish-ruled lands declared their independence in the early 1820s.
Local leaders set up the United Provinces of Central America.
The union soon fragmented into separate republics of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

6. French colonies: Revolution in Haiti
Saint Domingue, now known as Haiti
Western third of island of Hispanola in Caribbean Sea.
Plantation slavery, sugar

7. Toussaint L’Ouverture
Former slave, self-educated
Untrained in military and political matters, but became a skilled general and diplomat
Took leadership of a slave revolt that broke out in 1791.
100,000 slaves in revolt

8. By 1801, L’Ouverture took control of territory and freed slaves
In January 1802, French troops landed
Toussaint agreed to end the fighting if the French would end slavery
French accused him of planning another uprising
Sent him to a prison in the French Alps
He died 10 months later, April 1803

9. Dictators in Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia
Late 19th century Trends: Strongman Rule, Liberalism, commercial development
Dictators in Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia
Caudillo = strongman leader
Relied on force
outlawed opposition, regulated schools and newspapers
used jails, police and firing squads
often corrupt
sometimes supported liberal policies
Liberal governments return to power
Even strongmen often supported “liberal” policies
regular elections, but with restricted voting rights (oligarchic democracies)

10. Trend towards Commercial Development
Mining
Estate agriculture (Shift from plantation)
Extension of road and rail networks.
Foreign investment.
Immigration.
End of slavery in 1880s
Leads to new demand for labor
Argentina’s policies encouraging immigration led to 3/4 of the pop foreign-born.

11. Results of Latin American Independence Movements
Political/Social:
Continued battles between liberals, conservatives and the military over how to best rule.
Tensions between articulate political forces and the separate masses.
Economic:
Unable to free itself from dependence on Western-controlled economic patterns.
Cultural/intelligent:
Distinct cultural entity
combination of Western styles and values plus its racial diversity, colonial past, and social structure of a semi-colonial economy.

12. Independence Movements in Latin America
Long-Term Causes
Immediate Causes
European domination of Latin America
Spread of Enlightenment ideas
American and French revolutions
Growth of nationalism in Latin America
People of Latin America resent colonial rule and social injustices
Revolutionary leaders emerge
Napoleon invades Spain and ousts Spanish king
Immediate Effects
Long-Term Effects
Toussaint L‘Ouverture leads slave revolt in Haiti
Bolívar, San Martín, and others lead successful revolts in Latin America
Colonial rule ends in much of Latin America
Attempts made to rebuild economies
18 separate republics set up
Continuing efforts to achieve stable democratic governments and to gain economic independence