Latin American Independence Movements

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Latin American Independence Movements

• Aim How did Latin American colonies gain their
  independence?
• Do Now List three reasons why Latin American
  colonies revolted against European rule?

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Revolution in Haiti

• The French colony of Saint Domingue was the first
  Latin American territory to free itself from
  European rule
• Most of the enslaved African worked on
  plantations and greatly outnumbered their masters

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The Fight for Freedom

• In August 1791, a revolt of 100,000 slaves
  erupted
• Toussaint LOuverture became the leader of the
  rebellion
• LOuverture was an ex-slave who was not a trained
  soldier or diplomat
• By 1801, Toussaint moved into Spanish Santo
  Domingo, took control of the territory, and freed
  the slaves
• In January 1802, 16,000 French troops landed in
  Saint Domingue
• In May, Toussaint agreed to stop the rebellion if
  the French would end the slave trade
• An agreement was made but the French later
  accused Toussaint of planning another uprising
• They captured him and sent him to a prison in the
  French Alps
• He died 10 months later, in April 1803

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Toussaint LOuverture
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Haitis Independence

• Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Toussaints general,
  took Toussaints place as leader of the fight for
  Haitian independence
• On January 1, 1804, Dessalines declared the
  colonys independence
• He renamed the country Haiti, or mountainous land

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Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin

• Simon Bolivar was a wealthy Venezuelan creole
• He was nicknamed the Liberator
• Bolivar was a creole who was educated in Europe
• Jose de San Martin was a simple, modest man
• He was born in Argentina but spent most of his
  childhood in Spain (military training)
• He believed in strict discipline and showed
  concern for the well-being of his troops

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Bolivars Route to Victory

• Venezuela declared its independence from Spain in
  1811
• Bolivars volunteer army suffered numerous
  defeats
• A turning point came in August 1819
• Bolivar led over 2,000 soldiers on a march
  through the Andes Mountains into present-day
  Columbia
• Bolivar completely surprised the Spanish army in
  Bogota and defeated the Spanish forces
• By 1821, Bolivar had won Venezuelas independence
• He then marched south into Ecuador
• He met up with Jose de San Martin
• Together they would decide the future of the
  Latin American revolutionary movement

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San Martin Triumphs and Withdraws

• Argentina declared independence in 1816
• Spanish forces in Chile and Peru still posed a
  threat
• In 1817, San Martin led his army on a march
  across the Andes to Chile
• He joined the forces of Bernardo OHiggins
• The two leaders freed Chile

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San Martin in Peru

• In 1821, San Martin led his army north by sea to
  Lima, Peru
• San Martin needed a larger force to accomplish
  his goal
• Bolivar was faced with a similar problem
• San Martin left his army for Bolivar to command
• Sam Martin then sailed to Europe and died in 1822
• Bolivar army went on to defeat the Spanish at the
  Battle of Ayacucho (Peru) on December 9, 1824
• The Spanish colonies in Latin America won their
  freedom

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Mexicos Independence

• In many Latin American countries, creoles led the
  revolutionary movements
• In Mexico, ethnic and racial groups mixed more
  freely
• The Indians and mestizos played the leading role

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Miguel Hidalgo

• In September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo
  called for the peasants to rebel against the
  Spanish
• Hidalgos call is known as the grito de Dolores
  (the cry of Dolares)
• Hidalgos force of over 60,000 men marched toward
  Mexico City
• The Spanish army and the creoles joined forces to
  defeat Hidalgo
• Hidalgo was defeated in 1811

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Jose Maria Morelos

• Jose Maria Morelos led the revolution for four
  years
• In 1815, he was defeated by Agustin de Iturbide
• Iturbide declared himself an emperor and was
  finally overthrown in 1823

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Brazil

• In 1807, Prince John and the royal family of
  Portugal fled Napoleons armies and traveled to
  Brazil
• For 14 years, Brazil was the center of the
  Portuguese empire
• Brazil and Portugal were made equal in status
• After Napoleons defeat in 1815, Portugal wanted
  to reinstate Brazil as a colony

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Brazil (continued)

• By 1822, creoles demanded Brazils independence
  and eight thousand Brazilians signed a petition
  asking Dom Pedro, King Johns son, to rule
• On September 7, 1822, Dom Pedro officially
  declared Brazils independence
• Brazil had won its independence through a
  bloodless revolution

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Independence Brings Disunity

• Increase in poverty
• Disruption of trade
• Decrease in population
• Destruction of farmland and cities
• Land-holding elites held a tremendous amount of
  power