NAME:
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AIM: How did the Enlightenment inspire Latin American independence movements?
ACTIVITY 1: DO NOW
Directions: Answer the questions below.
1. Analyzing the social structure of Spanish
colonies in Latin America, why do you think
Creoles might resent being treated as lower
than Peninsulares?
2. If Mestizos and Mulattoes are half-white, do
you think they will be treated as African/
Native, or white? How do you think Peninsulares
would view them?
3. How do you think Africans and Native Americans
will feel about this social structure?
ACTIVITY 2: TEXT ANALYSIS
Directions: Analyze the text below and complete the questions that follow.
LATIN AMERICA: INSPIRED BY AMERICA, FRANCE, AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT
By 1776, the English colonies in America had already lost touch with England, the mother country. The
Americans were printing their own money, conducting their own trade, selling their own goods, and had
even developed different vocabulary and form of spelling. Americans spoke the same language as the
English, but the two were so separated that they’d even developed different accents over time. These are
things that Americans would use to justify their break from British rule.
In Latin America, a similar thing happened. Europeans had children with both Africans and Native
Americans in the Spanish-controlled territories and a lot of cultural diffusion took place, leading to the
birth of new cultures. As people in Latin America began learning how to read just like Europeans, they
were exposed to the ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers.
In addition to different groups of people beginning to develop their own cultures and ideas, in 1808,
Napoleon invaded Spain and ousted the Spanish king. This was seen by Latin Americans as a moment of
weakness and an opportunity to reject foreign rule.
SOURCE: 1 History.com 2 PBS.org IMAGES: Map showing areas colonized by Spain, with the exception of Brazil (colonized by Portugal).
1.
Explain the role of cultural diffusion in the development/creation of multiple Latin American cultures.
2.
How did the Enlightenment encourage people in Latin America to begin thinking about rejecting both Spanish and Portuguese
rule?
3.
Why did Latin American leaders decide to fight for freedom after 1808 instead of before 1808?
ACTIVITY 3: TEXT ANALYSIS
Directions: Analyze the text below and complete the questions that follow.
JOSÉ DE SAN MARTÍN
SIMÓN BOLÍVAR
FATHER HIDALGO
FOUGHT SPAIN FOR INDEPENDENCE IN
ARGENTINA, CHILE, PERU
FOUGHT SPAIN FOR INDEPENDENCE IN
VENEZUELA, ECUADOR, PERU, COLOMBIA
FOUGHT SPAIN FOR INDEPENDENCE IN
MEXICO
Simón Bolívar was a South American soldier
who was instrumental in the continent's
revolutions against the Spanish empire. Born
into wealth, Bolívar was sent to Spain for
his education, soon deciding to immerse
himself in the political sphere in Europe,
where he learned Enlightenment ideas.
After France invaded Spain in 1808, he
became involved in the resistance movement
and played a key role in the Spanish
American fight for independence. In 1825,
the "Republic of Bolivia" was created in
honor of the inspirational leader, hailed by
many as El Libertador (The Liberator). He
died on December 17, 1830 in Colombia.
Miguel Hidalgo was a Mexican Catholic
priest. He performed his duties as a
spiritual shepherd, but also read texts on
political theory including the works of
Enlightenment Thinkers. When authorities
moved to arrest him for gaining a following,
he gathered together his followers and his
parishioners and issued the “Grito de
Dolores” on September 16, 1810, a de facto
declaration of independence. He quickly
gathered an insurgent army that rampaged
through central Mexico. His army, made up
of almost 90,000 poor farmers and civilians
was defeated by well trained Spanish troops
and Hidalgo was taken prisoner by the
Spanish and executed, but others continued
the fight for Mexican Independence.
José de San Martín who helped lead the
revolutions against Spanish rule in
Argentina (1812), Chile (1818), and Peru
(1821). He was highly educated in European
politics and was also a brilliant military
leader. The combination of these likely
helped him become victorious. The boldness
of his plan to attack the territory of Lima,
Peru by crossing the Andes to Chile AND
going on by sea, as well as the patience and
determination with how he executed this
plan, was likely the decisive factor in the
defeat of Spanish power in South America.
1. How do you think the Enlightenment impacted San Martín as a leader? What impact did San Martín have on Latin American Independence
movements?
2. What impact did the French Revolution and Napoleon have on Simon Bolivar and Venezuela’s independence movement? What impact did Bolívar have
on South American independence movements?
3. How did reading political texts have influenced Hidalgo’s future role as a revolutionary leader?
4. Who did Hidalgo call to rebel against the Spanish? Was this a successful or an unsuccessful strategy?
ACTIVITY 4: ASSESSMENT
Directions: Choose an option below and complete on looseleaf for an assessment grade.
OPTION A
Create four multiple choice questions about Latin
American independence movements that compare and
contrast them to the French and Haitian Revolutions.
Your students should be challenged by your questions!
OPTION B
In a paragraph of 6-8 sentences, answer the AIM:
“How did the Enlightenment inspire Latin American
independence movements?” Provide at least two
pieces of evidence from today’s activities.
ACTIVITY 5 — ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: GUIDED NOTES
Directions: Copy the notes as directed.
Who was
SIMÓN BOLÍVAR?
Who was
FATHER HIDALGO?
Who was
JOSÉ DE SAN
MARTÍN?
ACTIVITY 6 — ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: MAP ANALYSIS
Directions: Analyze the document below and complete the questions that follow.
1. Compare and contrast South America in 1790 and
1828. How are they similar? How are they different?
2. What types of governments do you think the new
independent countries are going to have?
3. Do the problems of revolutionary Latin America persist
to this day? Why/how?