Latin American Revolutions

Society Divided

• Class dictated people’s place in society

• 1st - Peninsulares - Born in Spain

• 2nd - Creoles - Spaniards born in Latin America

• 3rd Mestizos - Euro and “Indian” ancestry

• 4th Mulattos - Euro and African

• 5th - “Indians”

Revolutions in the Americas

• Revolution in Haiti - 1791 - 100,000 Africans revolted

• By 1801 - All slaves free in Haiti

• 1804 - Independent from France

Creoles Lead Independence

• Creoles educated

• Enlightenment ideas

• Revolt after Spanish king replaced

Simon Bolivar

• Venezuelan Creole

• 1811 - Declared independence from Spain

• Suffered many defeats

• 1821 - Finally won Ven’s independence

• Met Jose de San Martin in Ecuador

Jose de San Martin

• Argentinean• Declared

independence in 1816• 1817 - Freed Chile• 1824 - Peru Free -

Last major war for independence

Mexico Ends Spanish Rule

• Miguel Hidalgo - Priest called for rebellion against Spanish

• Indian and Mestizos marched toward Mex. City

• Army defeated Hidalgo in 1811

Mexico Ends Spanish Rule

• Jose Maria Morelos - Rebels rallied around him and fought for 4 years

• Creole officer defeated him in 1815

• 1820 - Rev in Spain --> Creoles nervous --> proclaim independence in 1821

• Several C. American countries declare independence

Brazil’s Royal Liberator

• No violent upheavals or bloodshed

• Napoleon came to Portugal and Spain, Prince John fled

• Rio de Janeiro became capital of Portuguese empire for 14 yrs.

• After Napoleon, John returned to Portugal --> plan to make colony again

Brazil’s Royal Liberator

• Son, Dom Pedro stayed behind

• Creoles in Brazil demanded independence

• Dom Pedro asked to rule, agreed

• Declared independence - 1822