Latin American Revolution
The spreading of ideas…
Latin America = Mexico, Central America and
South America
Why do people revolt?
Revolutionary Fever
• Latin American discontent was rooted in
the social, racial and political system that
they were forced under for 300 years.
• A social structure existed that created
inequalities.
Latin American Social Structure
Land owners from
Spain/Europe
People born in the
Americas of European
decent
Half Hispanic / half
European
From Africa
Half African / half
European
From Americas
The spark
• The spark that finally ignited revolution in Latin
America was Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of
Spain in 1808.
• Napoleon ousted the King and placed his own
brother (Joseph) on the Spanish throne.
• Latin American leaders saw Spain’s weakness
as an opportunity to get rid of foreign
domination in their own countries and demand
independence from colonial rule.
Revolution in Haiti
• A French possession
• Many were enraged over
the issue of slavery.
• Toussaint L’Ouverture, a
slave fought to help Haiti
gain their independence
from the French.
http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/map
s/haiti.gif
Toussaint L”Ouverture
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/natturner/images/timeline_toussaint.jpg
Revolution in Mexico
• Father Miguel
Hidalgo, and Jose
Morelos fought to end
foreign rule of their
nation.
• Each had minimal
success
http://redescolar.ilce.edu.mx/redescolar/efemerides/julio/hidalgo.gif
Revolution in South America
• One of the first
challenges was led by
Tupac Amaru (an Incan
descendant) he brought
attention to the slavery
issue.
• Spain eventually ended
the encomienda system
(slavery).
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/TupacAmaruIIbyJoseGabrielCondo
rcanqui227.jpg
Simon Bolivar “The Liberator”
• Built an army and fought
the Spanish.
• He joined forces with
Jose de San Martin and
together they defeated
the Spanish.
• Bolivar united the lands
and created Gran
Colombia
http://www.ellibertador.com/images/Simon%20Bolivar%201.JPG
Revolutionary Failure
• Bolivar said near his death in 1830
– “We have achieved our independence at
the expense of everything else.”
– South America’s common people had
simply changed one set of masters for
another.
1. Simon Bolivar and Miguel Hidalgo,
leaders of Latin American independence
movements, were inspired by successful
revolutions in
1. the United States and France
2. the Soviet Union and China
3. Cuba and Costa Rica
4. Egypt and Kenya
2. During the early 1800’s, which was a major
influence on the struggle for political
independence in Latin America?
1. poor conditions in urban centers in Latin
America
2. the American and French Revolutions
3. the desire of the Roman Catholic Church in
Latin America to escape European control
4. demands by Latin American workers to own
their own factories
3. One similarity in the leadership of Latin
Americas Jose de San Martin, Toussaint
l’Ouverture, Bernardo O’Higgins, and Pedro I
was that each leader
1. opposed United States intervention in Haiti
2. led a struggle to gain freedom for the people of
his nation
3. opposed membership of his nation in the
League of Nations
4. established an absolute monarchy in his nation
“I will never allow my hands to be idle nor my
soul to rest until I have broken the chains laid
upon us by Spain.”
4. This statement was most likely made by
1. a Latin American nationalist
2. a Portuguese explorer
3. a Roman Catholic bishop
4. a Spanish conquistador
5. Which of these situations was the direct
result of the other three?
1. nations of Latin America won
independence
2. revolutions occurred in North America
and France
3. the Napoleonic wars weakened Spain’s
power
4. creoles and mestizos became
6. The 19th-century independence
movements in Latin America were
influenced by
1. Marxist ideology
2. the Aztec wars against Hernando Cortez
3. liberation theology
4. the American and the French Revolutions