latin america and caribbean revolutions follow the american example
TRANSCRIPT
End of Habsburgs in Spain War of the Spanish Succession (1701-
14)brought the Bourbon Monarchy to rule Spain Bourbons reasserted control of colonies after
years of Habsburg neglect Colonial reforms part of a larger effort to
modernize the govt. & econ. of declining Spain Bourbon reforms included limiting power of
Catholic church, imposing taxes, maintaining royal monopolies, adding standing armies, limiting power of Creole elite and tightening mercantilist practices
Caused unrest and seeds of rev. by Creole elite
Bourbon Reorganization• Administrative Reorganization
– Created two new viceroyalties• New Granada (1717) based in Bogotá• La Plata (1776) based in Buenos Aires
– Introduced intendancy system• Intendants were Peninsulares• Appointed to oversee military leadership, implement imperial laws
and collect taxes from Creoles and natives• Directly responsible to the Crown – not viceroys• Tightened control of colonies but Creoles angered by reduced
standing – looked for opportunities to overturn or circumvent new tax codes and rules
– System led to outflow of gold and therefore riches to Spain
Bourbon Reorganization• Economic Reorganization
– 1779 free-trade decree allowed Spanish-American ports to trade directly with each other & most ports in Spain
– Forbade production of certain goods in colonies to prevent competition with Spanish goods
– Resources available in Spanish America could not be traded with other Euros and British colonies in NA & Caribbean
– Efforts to stop illegal trade were largely futile– Trade was monopolized by Peninsular traders
• Further cut Creoles out of benefits
Bourbon Reorganization• Religious Reforms
– Efforts to limit power of Catholic Church• Force sale of church lands – deprives clergy of income from
rents charged to tenants• Church deprived of political authority – Bourbons appointed
career military officers to oversee colonies– Unlike Habsburgs who appointed clergy
• 1767 – Jesuits expelled from Americas to limit their influence on education
– Expelled priests were Creoles – deprived of homeland and church missions
• Creole clergy permanently alienated from Crown – they become ripe for recruitment into insurgency against Spain
Bourbon Reorganization• Military Defense
– Created a more organized defense force– Not enough Peninsular officers willing to serve in
Americas – had to rely on colonial-born officers– Creoles held in secondary levels of command
Tension across the Spectrum• Creoles most restricted by changes but all sectors of
colonial society resented reforms• Some open resistance – even riots and revolts
– Perú – Túpac Amaru II rebellion (1781-1793)• 100,00 deaths and widespread property damage
– Comunero uprising (1781) in New Granada• Indians and mestizos rose up against Spanish Crown
• Napoleon’s invasion of Spain– Placed Joseph Bonaparte on Spanish throne (1808)– American Creoles refused to recognize Bonaparte rule of
Spain – still loyal to crown but sought autonomy
Creole DiscontentCreole Discontent
Simón Bolívar
Inspiration of American & Inspiration of American & French RevolutionsFrench Revolutions
Declaration of Declaration of Independence, 1776Independence, 1776
Declaration of the Declaration of the Rights of Man & of Rights of Man & of the Citizen, 1789the Citizen, 1789
Preoccupation of Spain & Preoccupation of Spain & Portugal In Fighting Portugal In Fighting
Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
Haitian Revolution – 1791-1804• French colony of Saint Domingue• Sugar producer dependent upon slaves• Population divided by race• Non-whites (gens de coleur) discriminated against• 500,000 slaves made up vast majority of population
– Some granted more privileges than others
• During French Revolution – whites divided between wealthy and middle- to lower-classes
• Inspired gens de coleur to seek and get political rights from French National Assembly
Haitian Revolution• Effort to prevent non-white political power
– Results in uprising, riots based on race and class• Slave revolt developed in 1791 & grew larger than
conflict between whites and non-whites• By 1793 – French attempted to put down revolt, now
led by Toussaint L’Ouverture– In turn defeated the French, British, and gens de coleur, then
the French again– Toussaint was captured and died in prison but his revolution
was successful in the end– Jean-Jacques Dessalines became the ruthless dictator of
Haiti and massacred any remaining whites– Dessalines assassinated in 1806 – gens de coleur replaced
whites as dominant group over black masses– Haitian Revolution was an inspiration to American slaves
Toussaint L’OuvetureToussaint L’OuvetureLeads a RevolutionLeads a Revolution
in Haitiin Haiti(1804) (1804)
Spanish America• Creole rebellion began as a push for autonomy rather
than independence– Creoles in viceroyalties created juntas to rule until the
Spanish monarchy was restored– Peninsular officials resisted Creole-run governing bodies –
pushed Creoles further to independence• Many concurrent uprisings but independence wars
varied from place to place– Own leaders, philosophies, agendas– When Spanish monarch Ferdinand II was restored he tried to
turn back changes in Spanish America– Failure to recognize autonomous govts. by King left no resort
but full independence
Mexican Independence• Revolution started in Sept. 1810 by Father Miguel
Hidalgo– Mass insurrection that was strong with lower classes and
mixed races, Indians, slaves– Peninsulares and Creoles allied to stop Hidalgo (1811)
• Father José Maria Morelos continued revolution– 1814 – Constitutional Decree for Liberty of Mexico
• A Mexican Declaration of Independence• Morelos also captured and executed like Hidalgo
– Followed by years of guerilla warfare
• Mexican élites, Creoles, Catholic hierarchy and military leaders joined to make independent Mex.
Augustín de Iturbide
• Plan de Iguala– Three guarantees
• Clear independence from Spain• Supremacy of Catholic Church• Equality for Peninsulares and Creoles
• Treaty of Córdoba – Mexican Independence– August 24, 1821
• Iturbide becomes Emperor of Mexico - 1822
Simón Bolivar: The “Brains” of the Simón Bolivar: The “Brains” of the RevolutionRevolution Creole-led revolution in Venezuela
Liberal agenda – preserve pwr base
Independent Republic of Venezuela declared on July 5, 1811
Royalists recruited non-whites against creole patriots – Spanish retook Caracas in May 1815
Diverse forces united against Spanish occupation under Simón Bolivar
Welcomed all races in movement – freed his own slaves as example
Army coup in Spain let to negotiations with patriots in Venezuela.
Old viceroyalty of Nueva Granada became Gran Colombia – Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Venezuela – until 1830 – Venezuela and Ecuador independent republics
The “Muscle” of The “Muscle” of the Revolutionthe RevolutionBolivar Bolivar
coming from coming from the North.the North.
José de St. Martín José de St. Martín and and Bernardo O’Higgins Bernardo O’Higgins cross cross the Andes Mountains to the Andes Mountains to
fight for Chilean fight for Chilean independence.independence.
Bolivar’s FailureBolivar’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!
Brazil Freed from PortugalBrazil 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.
No Unity!No Unity!
Failure of Bolivar’s dream for a united South America:
$ Many newly independent countries struggle with civil wars.
By 1830s, geographic factors (mts., the Amazon, etc.) plus cultural differences defeated attempts at unification.
$ Gran Columbia.
$ United Provinces of Central America.
Independence Brought Independence Brought More PovertyMore Poverty
The wars disrupted trade.
The wars devastated the cities and the countryside.
Left Many Countries in the Left Many Countries in the Control of Control of CaudillosCaudillos
WHO WERE THEY?:
$ Mid-19c dictators military authoritarianism.
$ Mostly wealthy creole aristocrats.
$ Immediately followed the fight for independence.
$ Posed as reformers with goals to improve the economy and better the lives of the common people.
Left Many Countries in the Left Many Countries in the Control of Control of CaudillosCaudillos
WHO WERE THEY?:
$ 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!]