Latin American Revolutions

Libertyville HS

Conquest to Colonies

• Conquistadors defeated Aztecs, Mayans & Incans; set up gov’ts– New Spain = Aztec /

Mayan area– Viceroyalty = “assistant

king”• Viceroy appointed by king• Had authority of king• Semi-independent

– Audiencia• Judicial courts in New World• Also had legislative powers

The Colonial Experience• Social structure based on purity of

Spanish bloodlines– Peninsulares: socially superior to all

others– Criollos (Iberians born in New Spain):

wealthiest class– Mestizos: Spanish men, American Ind.

Women; excluded from econ op.– Slaves

• Women were to be obedient to men (patriarchal society)

• Catholic Church– Church as imp. as gov’t officials– Natives identified w/ Virgin Mary– Crucifixion mirrored their suffering

The Colonial Experience

• European born were dominant & controlled native labor– Mining– Cash crops– Trade

• Colonial Administration– Directed from Spain– Responsible to Spain– BUT semi-independent

from Spain (distance, time)

The Colonial Experience

• Economy– Mining was key (silver, gold)– Agriculture: cash & food crop

• Encomiendas (labor system)– Given a certain # of natives– Responsible for teaching Spanish,

religion in exchange for food, gold• Haciendas (self sufficient land

grants)

– Trade• Spanish monopoly• Slave trade: British monopoly

(asiento – K – between Spain, Britain, to supply slaves)

European Power in Sp. America• Spanish power declined

in late 17th / early 18th C.– Spanish Hapsburgs weak– Peninsulares, Criollos

dominated Am. w/ little interference from Spain

– Bourbons took over, 1701 (remember the War of Spanish Succession?)• More efficient government• Revived Spanish control in

NW• More efficient taxation =

more wealth taken out of NW

Opposition to Spanish Control• Simon Bolivar (1783-1830)

– Success of American Revolution inspired him to seek freedom for Spanish colonies

– Called “The Liberator”• Contributed to liberation of

Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Bolivia

– Formed federation of former colonies called Gran Columbia• Served as its president from

1821-1830• Believed in strong central gov’t• Anti-slavery

Gran Columbia in blue

Haitian Revolution (against French)

• Santo Domingo (island)– 2/3 of Fr. Tropical imports– 1/3 of Fr. Total foreign

trade!

• Brutal slave economy– Poor living conditions– Harsh punishments– Constant demand for

more African slaves

The Haitian Revolution

• French Rev. in France leads to rev. in islands– Rich planters vs. free mixed

race population (“gens de coleur” – mulattoes)

• Slaves take advantage, rebel– Plantations burned, masters

killed, houses destroyed– Combined African political

culture w/ Fr. Rev. ideology

Haitian Revolution• Toussaint L’Ouverture

– Former slave, leader of rebellion

– Created an organized, disciplined military force

• 1794: Fr. NA abolished slavery

• 1801: L’Ouverture adopted liberal constitution– Asserted loyalty to France– Made Haiti indep.

• And then Napoleon took over…

Haitian Revolution

• 1802: Nap. sent army to reclaim Santo Domingo– Captured Toussaint (sent to

France, died in prison)– Then, yellow fever infected

French troops– Brutality on both sides– Native resistance strong; they

began winning the fight

• Fr. forces withdrew• US (Thomas Jefferson) put

embargo on Haiti (feared free blacks)

Haitian Revolution

• Outcomes– With no base in Americas,

Napoleon sold colonies to USA

– Haiti declared indep. 1804 (first black republic)

– US continued embargo (Jefferson pro-French)

– Haiti economy a shambles for decades

– Political violence continue for decades

Jean Jacques Dessalines, firstPresident of the republic

The Disintegration of Argentina • Bolivar: “I fear peace more

than war”• Difficulties following revolution

– No middle class– No tradition of self rule– No cultural unity– Contrast with USA

• Rise of caudillo (military dictator)– Usually a military officer who

took over government– Ruled using combo of charisma,

strength, patronage

The Disintegration of Argentina• Decades of civil war tore

Argentina apart– Paraguay, Uruguay, and

Bolivia declared independence from Argentina

• Juan Manuel Rosas, caudillo of Argentina (1828-52)– Violent: assassination,

intimidation of enemies– BUT he brought economic

benefits to region– “Man of the people”

(whipping story)

Juan Manuel de Rosas, caudilloof Argentina

Mexican Independence• Republic est. 1823• Spain invaded, 1829

(defeated)• French invaded, 1838

(defeated)• Mexico invited US citizens

to settle in Texas (then, a state of Mexico) in 1820s– Soon outnumbered

Mexicans– Opposed Mexican gov’ts

abolition of slavery

Mexican Independence• 1835-36: TX rebellion vs.

Mexican liberals– Alamo– BUT Texans win war,

declare independence

• 1845: TX became a state of US – provoked war– 1848: Treaty forced Mexico

to give up Mexico Cession (CA, NM, AZ)

– In return, Mexico received $15 million

Mexican Independence• Mexican liberals took over

gov’t: Benito Juarez– Reforms (equality; no

privileges for church, military)– Sparked CW w/ conservatives

(1858-1861)

• French invaded in 1862, set up Maximilian as Emperor– Austrian Hapsburg– US threatened to get involved

after 1865– French pulled out, Max

executed in 1867

Results of Independence Movements

• Legacy of Spanish colonialism• Political liberalism limited• Much of L.A. were economic disaster

areas (corruption, primitive economies)• Latin American weakness allowed USA

rise to prominence in last ½ of 19th C.