Nation Building and
Economic Transformation in
the Americas, 1800-1890
Chapter 23
Independence in Latin
America
1800-1830
Roots of Revolution, to 1810
U.S. Declaration of Independence and Fr.
Declaration of the Rights of Man were
circulating in Latin America
Elites
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upset at the power held by colonial officials
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upset about high taxes
trouble in Europe led to ideas of revolution
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Napoleon invading the Iberian peninsula
1808, the Portuguese royal family went to Brazil
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King John VI ruled from there for 10+ years
Napoleon replaced the Sp. monarch with his
brother Joseph Bonaparte
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Sp. patriots formed the Junta Central to govern Spain
while the King remained a Fr. prisoner
The Junta claimed control of all of Spain’s territories
Many wealthy Sp. colonists did not like the Junta
1808 and 1809- uprisings overthrew the Sp. officials
in Venezuela, Mexico, and Alto Peru
Sp. officials quickly regained control and punished
the leaders
This made more people support the revolutionists
Spanish South America, 1810-1825
Caracas (capital of Venezuela)
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revolutionary Junta led by Creoles declared
independence in 1811
leaders were large landowners
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supported slavery
opposed citizenship for black and mixed-race people
colonial administration reacts
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rally free blacks and slaves to defend Spain
Revolutionary officials turned to Simon
Bolivar
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son of wealthy planters
had studied classics and the Enlightenment
agreed to support emancipation to get slaves to
help and to get supplies from Haiti
he gets the help of English soldiers
Spain, 1820
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Ferdinand VII is returned to the throne
forced to sign a constitution that limits his
powers
Bolivar’s Army liberates Venezuela,
Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia
(named for Bolivar)
Buenos Aires
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important center of revolution
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a Junta formed that claimed loyalty to Ferdinand VII
while he was imprisoned
they declared independence after Ferdinand returned to
the throne
United provinces of the Rio de la Plata
They were unable to control the region and chaos broke
out
San Martin, a military leader was able to cross the Andes
and attack Sp. troops in Chile and Peru
Won in Chile, lost in Peru
Unable to win in Peru, he gave command of his troops to
Bolivar who defeated the Spanish in 1824
Mexico, 1810-1823
Spain’s wealthiest and most powerful
colony in 1810
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rich silver mines
Mexico City was larger than any city in Spain
largest population of Spanish immigrants
Spanish loyalists overthrew the viceroy when
Ferdinand was forced to abdicate the throne
Rebellion
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central Mexico
wealthy farmers had forced Amerindians from
their land
crop failures and epidemics made the situation
worse
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
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parish priest
urged people to rise up against Spanish
oppression
rural poor joined him, they had no military
experience or weapons
randomly attacked their oppressors, the
ranches and mines
Hidalgo was captured, tried, and executed in
1811.
Jose Maria Morelos
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a priest
better military and political leader than Hidalgo
set up a congress that met and created a
constitution in 1813
he was defeated and executed in 1815
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colonial rule seemed secure in 1820
Mexican loyalists, led by Colonel Agustin
de Iturbide, later declared independence
from Spain and Mexico declared Iturbide
the emperor.
1823, Mexico became a republic
Brazil, to 1831
1808, Portuguese royal family moved to
Brazil
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stimulated economy
gave more power to colonial elite
1821, King John VI returned to Portugal,
left his son Pedro in Brazil
People surrounded by revolutions for
independence questioned their own
colonial status
Pedro I declared independence from
Portugal and Brazil had a constitutional
monarchy
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different political opinions and high costs of
running the new government forced Pedro to
abdicate in 1831
Pedro II ruled until 1889
The Problem of Order
1825-1890
Constitutional Experiments
Just like in the U.S., Latin Americans felt a
constitution was necessary
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careful description of political powers
protected the people
constitutions were often ratified and then
rejected
societies were not accustomed to voting
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British colonies had voted for elected officials in town
governments
Spanish and Portuguese America had little or no
experience voting for representatives
Nearly all limited the right to vote to free men owning
property
British colonies in Canada
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want democracy and effective self rule
1837 – armed rebellion
1840s – Britain allows limited self rule
Confederation of 1867
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Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia
Beginning of the Canadian nation
Latin America
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drafters of the constitutions had no experience
with elected governments
hard to define the political role of the Catholic
Church
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many early constitutions had tried to reduce its power
secular education
permitted other religions
tried to limit the power of the military
strengthened during the wars of independence
military leaders would not follow civilian authorities
Brazil, led by Pedro I was the exception
Personalist Leaders
Successful leaders gained popularity in the
U.S. and Latin America
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used patriotic symbols
used personal followings to gain national
political leadership
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ex. Iturbide in Mexico; Bolivar in Gran Columbia
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caudillo – a personalist leader who held
political power without constitutional
sanction
early constitutions excluded the poor from
political participation
Personalist leaders often became dictators
Andrew Jackson and Jose Antonio Paez
both challenged constitutional limits
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Paez – led Bolivar’s cavalry in Venezuela and
Columbia
uneducated and poor, his personality and
strength made him popular
Bolivar tried to unite Latin America under his
rule
Paez declared Venezuela independent
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Ruled as president or dictator for the next 18 years
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Jackson – a self made man
was popular among frontier residents, urban
workers and small farmers
he served as judge, general, congressman,
senator and President
military success
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beat the British – Battle of New Orleans in 1815
took Florida from the Sp, in 1818
1828 – elected as President by a landslide
1832 – reelected
Was able to take power from Congress
personalist leaders in Latin America didn’t face
many obstacles and were able to gain more
power than those in the U.S.
The Threat of Regionalism
New governments were weaker than old
colonial governments
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elites led uprisings or disobeyed laws that
threatened their interests
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all attempts to form large multi-state
federations failed
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Republic of Central America
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Split into 5 separate countries
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Gran Columbia
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Venezuela, Columbia and Ecuador split into separate
countries
Bolivia, Uraguay, Paraguay and Argentina
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Had been under one viceroyalty, but split after
independence in 1830
Argentina
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Sought strong central government
Secular education, free trade and immigration
Conservatives
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supported Catholic Church education and protection of
local products from European imports
rebelled a constitution that went against these values
Juan Manuel de Rosas, a caudillo, came to power and
ruled for 20+ years
economy expanded
use of mob violence and assassination made him
many enemies
overthrown in 1852
United States
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Regional problems
ex. Senate in which each state is equally represented
due to small state fears
slavery polarized the country
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Louisiana Purchase; 1803
War with Mexico to gain Texas
New land gains led to a debate over whether slavery
should be allowed to spread
immigration led to higher population and more political
power in the north
1860; Abraham Lincoln was elected President
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Southern states seceded, formed the Confederate
States
U.S. Civil War (1861-1865)
Union victory led to the abolition of slavery in the U.S.
Foreign Interventions and Regional Wars
19th century – countries that had gained
their independence continued to fight
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War of 1812
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U.S. vs. Great Britain
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1898-1899 Mexican-American War
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U.S. vs. Spain
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Gained the Philippines and Puerto Rico
British and French Naval blockades of
Argentina
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Mexico had to defend itself from Spain in 1829
and the French in 1838
in 1836, Texas gained its independence from
Mexico
1848, Mexico was forced to give land to the
U.S. (now New Mexico, Arizona and California)
for $15 mill.
1862, France invaded Mexico
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Benito Juarez, forced to flee Mexico
French installed the Austrian Hapsburg Maximilian as
emperor
Mexican forces drove the Fr out in 1867
Chile
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defeated the Confederation of Peru and Bolivia
on several occasions
Argentina and Brazil fought over Uruguay
until Uruguay’s independence
1865; Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil joined
to fight Paraguay
Native Peoples and the Nation-State
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In many cases, colonial powers had tried to
protect native people
New independent governments were too
weak to protect their frontiers
United States
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settlers looking for agricultural land pushed into
native territory
Tecumseh and his brother formed an
Amerindian Alliance in the Ohio River Valley
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Tecumseh was killed in the War of 1812
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1830 Indian Removal Act
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Passed by Congress
Forced native tribes to settle west of the Mississippi
River
Trail of Tears, nearly half of the forced migrants
died
Great Plains Amerindians were more of a
challenge
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Had mastered the use of horses and firearms
Became nomadic buffalo hunters
during the U.S. Civil War
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disrupted Amerindian trade
buffalo herds were hunted to near extinction
forced to give up their land and traditions
Argentina and Chile
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the native people were successful and militarily
strong
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they had the upper hand until the 1860s
1870s; Argentina & Chile used overwhelming
military force
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Crushed native resistance
Mexico
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plantation owners pushed Mayans off of their
land
Mayan rebellion 1847, Caste War
created their own state until 1870 when they
were defeated by Mexican forces
The Challenge of Social and
Economic Change
The Abolition of Slavery
Anti-slavery movements during the
independence movements in the North and
the South
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revolutionary leaders wanted freedom and
citizenship
United States
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slave trade stopped in 1808, slavery continued
cotton agriculture was still profitable
abolitionists said slavery went against the rights
mentioned in the Declaration of Independence
as well as most religions
Women and free African Americans tried to end
slavery
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Were not granted full citizenship themselves
Produced effective propaganda
Frederick Douglas
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A former slave
Abolitionists speaker and writer
U.S. Civil War
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thousands of black freemen and escaped slaves
fought for the Union
1863 – Lincoln issues the Emancipation
Proclamation
1865 – end of the civil war, Thirteenth Amendment
abolished slavery
1880s – increased segregation and racial violence
Spanish America
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slaves gained freedom by joining revolutionary
armies
Brazil and Cuba increased their slave trade
because of profits
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Brazil
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1830 – treaty with the British to end the slave
trade
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Continued to illegally import slaves
Pedro II and many liberals worked to abolish
slavery
many slaves joined the army to fight Paraguay
1888 – legislation abolished slavery
Caribbean Islands
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received 40% of all incoming slaves
most people were not interested in
independence
slave revolts were inspired by the Haitian
revolts on Saint Domingue
abolition resulted from European colonial
powers
Slavery lasted longest in Cuba and Puerto Rico
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1873 – abolition in Puerto Rico
1886 – abolition in Cuba
End of the slave trade
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Great Britain ended the slave trade in 1807
asked that Spain, Brazil and others stop trading
slaves as well
1833 - Slavery in British colonies ended
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“freed” slaves were required to stay with their
masters as “apprentices”
Immigration
19th century wave of immigrants from
Europe and Asia
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rapid economic growth
occupation of frontier regions
urbanization
before 1870 most came from Western
Europe
after 1870 most came from southern and
eastern Europe
U.S. national population increased
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1871 – 39 million
1891 – 63 million (62% increase)
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Immigration to Latin America and Canada
also increased (especially Argentina)
Large numbers of Chinese and Indian
immigrants were arriving as well
Hostility to immigration
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nativist political movements
fear and prejudice
some immigrants seen as undesirable (Asians)
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were more often victims of violence and discrimination
1870s and 1880s –anti-Chinese riots
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 in the U.S.
Southern Europeans were also discriminated against
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Jews from Eastern Europe
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Italians were seen as violent
Barred from education and careers
Feeling that immigrants accepted low paying jobs and
threatened the national culture
Assimilation movements
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attempt to create a national language and a
national culture through education
American Cultures
Immigration altered culture and politics
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creation of ethnic clubs and neighborhoods
acculturation – modification of culture of a
group due to contact with people from
another culture
Women’s Rights and the Struggle for
Social Justice
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Political and economic discrimination
towards blacks, women, new immigrants
and native peoples
United States
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The Women’s Rights Convention
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“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men
and women are created equal.”
women began to demand the right to vote
tried to improve working conditions for women
Canada
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Progress equally slow
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Argentina and Uruguay
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1895 – first time a woman could receive a medical
degree in Canada
Women led the way in temperance, child welfare and
labor reform
First L. American nations to provide education for
women
Improvements were seen faster in low level
careers that did not financially threaten men
Racial discrimination
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blacks were denied the vote in the Southern
U.S.
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segregation
segregation was not as evident in Latin
America, but there was discrimination
Development and Underdevelopment
Western Hemisphere was richer in 1900 than in
1800
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industrial revolution, population growth, and an
integrated world market
Exports: wheat, corn, wool, meats, non-precious
minerals, silver, sugar, dyes, coffee and cotton
Governments invested in roads, railroads, canals and
telegraphs
mining booms in Western U.S., Mexico and Chile
new technology meant dependence on foreign
money
two economy types
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development – improved and modernized
underdevelopment – stuck in the colonial
system of selling raw materials and low wage
industries
Altered Environments
Western Hemisphere
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introduction of new technologies, plants and
animals
deforestation in Cuba
the spread of ranching in Argentina,
Uruguay and Brazil
use of the steel plow caused soil erosion in
the plains of N. America and Argentina
slash and burn agriculture in Brazil
Urbanization
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the difficulties of providing clean water,
removing garbage and sewage
railroads led to deforestation
conservation efforts began