Latin America. New Ideas in Europe 16 th -18 th centuries.
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Causes of Latin American Revolutions
1. Enlightenment Ideas
• NATURAL LAWS govern natural science and human society.
• Give people rights life, liberty, property!
• Make fair societies based on reason possible.
• Challenged the theory of “Divine Right” monarchy.
2. Creole Discontent– Person of European descent
born in the West Indies or Latin America
– Left out of government jobs and trade concessions
3. Inspiration of American & French Revolutions
Declaration of Independence--1776
Declaration of the Rights of Man & of the
Citizen--1789
Napoleon’s Role
• Attacked Portugal and Spain• Toppled their rulers• Weakened their control of
the Colonies
– Spanish king is imprisoned by Napoleon in 1808
Revolts led by the Creole elite--
landowners
Question of Slavery• In France Friends of Blacks
club advocated abolition of slavery
• Abolished in France September 1791
• Opposed by French plantation owners in West Indies
• National Convention February 4, 1794 abolishes slavery in colonies
Toussaint L’Ouverture
1791
•Leader of revolt with over 100,000 followers
•After 10 years he gained control of island, issued constitution and became the effective ruler of Saint Domingue
•Napoleon sends LeClerc who captures L’Ouverture, chains him and takes him to France
Independence declared in Haiti
(1804)
Former French Sugar Colony the first Independent State in Latin America
Vodoun [Voodoo]
•A religious cult practiced chiefly in Caribbean countries (especially Haiti)
•Involves witchcraft and animistic deities
Spain and Portugal Suppress Revolts
• Aided by Creoles and Mazombos [American born direct descendants of Portuguese settlers]
• Saw themselves linked more closely with Spain and Portugal’s rulers
• Feared rebellion more than their desire for independence
Question of Slavery
• Britain abolishes slave trade in the British Empire in 1807 fearing slave revolts
• US prohibits trade with Haiti and ends international slave trade in 1808
• Slavery itself is abolished in Britain in 1833 and in the US in 1863
What helps to end slavery??
• Slave population outnumbers slave owners
• Immoral
• Philosophes
• Adam Smith
1810 Mexico Revolts Leaders
• Father Miguel Hidalgo
• Father Jose Morales– a mestizo
Morales’ Goals
• displace Spanish and Creole elites
• abolish slavery
• revoke special privileges of church
Parish priest led
peasant rebellion
Mexico’s Path
• 1821 independence
• 1823 Republic declared
• Unstable for decades
• 1836 Mexican American War—– Texas declares independence
Brazil• When Napoleon captured
Portugal the royal family escaped to Brazil establishing their rule for the next 13 years.
• King raised legal status of Brazilians to that of Portuguese
• Expanded Rio de Janeiro as center of trade, administration, education and culture
• Independence 1822 with help of Prince Pedro
Simon Bolivar
• Venezuela• Wealthy Creole officer• Educated in Europe with
enlightenment ideas• Joined a growing class of
merchants who resented Spanish and Portuguese domination of trade
• United into new nation—Gran Columbia [Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela]
The “Muscle” of the RevolutionBolivar coming
from the North.
José de St. Martín and Bernard O’Higgins cross the Andes Mountains.
Bolivar’s Failure
After uniting Venezuela, Columbia, & Ecuador into Gran Columbia, he left to help free the rest of Latin America.
He died a year later, with his goal of uniting all of South America unfulfilled!
1. Brazil Freed from Portugal
The Portuguese royal family escaped Napoleon by fleeing to Brazil.
Pedro I set up a new, independent kingdom in 1821 when his father returned to Portugal.
Pedro II assumed full power after Pedro I abdicated his throne.
2. Independence for Spanish &
Portuguese Latin America By the mid-1820s, revolts create many
newly-independent nations.
3. No Unity!
Failure of Bolivar’s dream for a united South America:
Many newly independent countries struggle with civil wars.
By 1830s’ defeated attempts at unification.
geographic factors—mountain, the Amazon, etc.
cultural differences
5. Left Many Countries in the Control of Caudillos
WHO WERE THEY?:
Mid-19c dictators military authoritarianism.
Mostly wealthy Creole aristocrats.
Posed as reformers with goals to improve the economy and better the lives of the common people. BUT…Overthrew governments and took away basic human rights.
Some attempted to make improvements, but most just cared about themselves and their families and friends [nepotism].
Power changes usually occurred at bayonet-point [coup d’etats!]
Additional Problems
Feuds among leaders. Geographic barriers. The social hierarchy continued from the
past. Conservatives favored the old social
order. Liberals wanted land reform. Dependence on foreign nations for
capital and for economic investments.
“The Colossus of the North”
US dominated affairs in the Americas.
1823 – Monroe Doctrine. US takes Texas US gains independence
for Cuba. US built Panama Canal
– “Yankee Imperialism.”
Mexican Revolutionaries
Madero, a liberal reformer, democratically elected in 1911, assassinated two years later by his general, Huerto
Porfirio Diaz
Faced with rebellion he resigns after holding power for almost 30 years
Pancho Villa
Zapata
Huerto sets up dictatorship
Rebel leaders, Zapata and Villa, fight to improve lives of peasants
Carranza, a rich landowner, defeats Zapata and Villa, becomes president of Mexico in 1917. A new constitution passes but reforms are slow
Carranza
Post Revolution Latin America• Loss of population, property, livestock because of war• Boundary disputes with other new nations• Poor transportation and communication making unity
within nation difficult• Little experience ruling as a republic• Britain replaced Spain and Portugal as dominating the
economy• Exportation of raw materials while importing finished
goods reducing industrial production in Latin America leading to more foreign domination of their economy
• Land remained basis of wealth, social prestige, political power throughout 19th century
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