Latin American Independence

Breakdown of Society

African Slaves – people brought over to serve in the fields of the new colony

Natives – people who were from the conquered land

Mulattos – Mixed European and African ancestry

Mestizos – Mixed Europeanand Native ancestry

Creoles – Spaniards born in Latin America

Peninsulares – born in Spain

Haiti’s Independence• Saint Domingue - first

colony to free itself• 500,000 slaves– 20,000 white individuals on

the island– Brutal punishments

• 1791 – 100,000 slaves rebelled– Toussaint L’Ouverture –

leader • Unsure about diplomatic and

military matters, fast learner

• 1801 – Slaves in control • 1802 – French troops landed

in Saint Domingue • 1803 – Peace treaty, not

independence– Toussaint invited to negotiate

relations

• Jean-Jacques Dessalines• 1804 colony

declared independent

Simon Bolivar and Venezuela

• Simon Bolivar– 1811 – Venezuela

declared independence

– Bolivar’s volunteer army lost but continued fighting • Bolivar was exiled

twice after losses

• 1819 – Turning point– Lead army through

the Andes into Colombia

– Venezuelan soldiers defeated Spanish

• 1821 – Bolivar forced Venezuelan independence – Marched South into

Ecuador where he met Jose de San Martin

Jose de San Martin’s Argentina

• 1816 – Argentina declares independence– Spanish forces in Chile

and Peru were still a threat

• 1817 – San Martin marched across Andes to Chile – Joined with Bernardo

O’Higgins – Freed Chile

• 1822 – Wanted to destroy the Spanish, needed more men– Met Bolivar at Guayaquil,

Ecuador • Bolivar control of army

– Battle of Ayacucho (Peru) 1824• Last major battle for

independence

• Gran Colombia– Venezuela, Colombia,

Panama, and Ecuador

Mexico Breaks from Spain

• Mexicans and mestizos - leading role

• 1810 – Grito de Dolores – Padre Miguel Hidalgo – Call for rebellion

• 17 September 1810 – march to Mexico City– Spanish and Creoles army

defeated Hidalgo

• Jose Maria Morelos – new leader– Defeated by Agustin de

Iturbide – Revolution continued

• 1820 – Revolution in Spain – Creoles feared the loss of

privilege • 1821 –Treaty of Cordoba – Mexico is constitutional

monarchy under Agustin– 18 months later, first

Mexican Republic created

Central American Independence• Viceroyalty of New Spain • 1821 – Central American

states declare independence– Agustin refused to recognize

• 1823 – Absolute independence– United Provinces of Central

America• Nicaragua, Guatemala,

Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica

Brazil’s Bloodless Independence

• 1807 – Napoleon invaded Portugal and Spain – Royal family - Brazil– Rio de Janiero became the

center • 1815 – Returned to Portugal – Dom Pedro, stayed behind

• King John wanted Brazil as colony– 1822 – 8,000

Brazilians signed a petition asking Dom Pedro to rule and he agreed

– 1822 – Officially declared Brazilian independence