1. Native American Revolt The strongest challenge to Spanish rule was the Native Americans in South America. They were led by Tupac Amaru. He demanded reform of the forced Indian labor. In 1780, he organized an Indian revolt that won the abolition of the forced Indian labor.

2. Simón Bolívar & José de San Martín In 1810, Bolívar led an uprising which established a republic in Venezuela. He decided to march across the Andes Mountains and attack the Spanish at Bogotá. By 1821, Bolívar had succeeded in freeing Caracas, Venezuela. In 1816, San Martín helped Argentina win freedom from Spain. He also defeated the Spanish in Chile.

3. Dreams and Disappointments Wars of independence ended in 1824. Bolívar had worked to unite the liberated nations into a single nation called Gran Columbia but bitter rivalries proved this dream to be impossible. The royal Portuguese family fled to Brazil. The people of Portugal tried to force them to return by attempting to stop all of the reforms the king had made in Brazil. The king declared Brazil a free nation and cut their ties with Portugal pronouncing himself emperor of the nation.

4. Reading Focus Question How did the nations of South America win independence? The nations of South America won independence through revolts against Spanish rule after Napoleon Bonaparte had weakened the empire of Spain.