NAME: ___________________________________________
Latin America: Winning Independence
 Describe how events in Europe affected the independence movements in three Latin American nations.
Each Latin American country’s search for independence occurred differently, without a common story. Each war and colony throughout
Latin America experienced different levels of violence and public support. In general, these searches for independence stemmed from
the growth of revolutionary ideas around the world, called the Enlightenment. The American Revolution in 1776 and French Revolution
in 1789 both served as examples to Latin America. The slogan “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity!” embodied the revolutionary ideals.
Spanish Colonies
Causes of Revolutions:
In general terms, the Spanish colonies’ wars of independence take place between 1810 and 1825.
The spark that started the fire of independence movements in the Spanish colonies was Napoleon’s
invasion of Spain in 1808. After defeating and controlling Spain, Napoleon removed the Spanish
king from power and placed his own French brother, Joseph Bonaparte, on the Spanish throne.
This situation created several problems that led to Latin American wars for independence:
1. Napoleon’s invasion weakened the Spanish empire and its control of the colonies.
2. People living in Latin American colonies immediately had to ask, “Who is the legitimate
king of Spain? The French usurper or the dethroned Spanish king?” The colonists rejected
this new French authority. In essence, they declared independence by not recognizing their
monarch.
3. The isolation (thousands of miles away and across the Atlantic Ocean) of the colonies led
to poor management.
4. The rigid peninsular class excluded the public and rarely adapted to changing conditions.
This led lower classes to resent and distrust the colonial authorities.
Non-Spanish Colonies
Brazil:
Brazil largely gains its
independence peacefully.
 Brazil’s independence was
ultimately caused by
Napoleon’s invasion of
Portugal.
 The Portuguese prince led
Brazil to break from colonial
system in order to avoid fullscale social revolution.
Haiti:
Haiti gains its independence from
France through a slave rebellion.
 Haiti’s revolution was sparked
by the spirit of independence in
the French Revolution.
--see Toussaint L’Ouverture--
--see Simón Bolívar--
 Compare and contrast T. L’Ouverture and S. Bolívar
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Simón Bolívar

Born a Creole in 1783 in Venezuela
{controlled by Spain at the time}

Born a slave in 1743 on a plantation in northern Haiti
{controlled by France at the time}

As a member of Latin America’s elite, was educated by tutors
and traveled Europe extensively

Had an unusually liberal master who taught Toussaint to read
and write

Bolívar was slow to gain the respect of his countrymen as a
leader

In 1789, the French Revolution rocked France

In 1791, Toussaint was granted his freedom by his master
Bolívar’s initial attempt to win a war for South America’s
independence was unsuccessful. He lost battles to the
peninsulares while avoiding several assassination attempts and
finally retreating to the Andes.

The French Revolution, based on freedom and equality, quickly
triggered a mass slave revolt in Haiti

Toussaint quickly emerged as a general and organizational
leader of the slave rebellion

In a time when slave revolts typically ended in failure and
executions, the slaves, led by Toussaint, won their
independence from France because:



Forced to flee to Haiti, independent Haitian leaders gave
Bolívar ships, guns, money, and a printing press. In return,
Bolivar promised to free all slaves once Venezuela gained its
independence.
With this international support, Bolívar became a respected
leader and general of South America’s independence movement
1. Yellow fever decimated French forces

By 1825, Bolívar was able to defeat the Spanish and win
independence for Bolivia, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,
and Venezuela.
3. The intelligence of Toussaint as a general and his
use of guerilla warfare.

Bolívar’s victories earned him the nicknames: “The Liberator”
and “George Washington of South America”
2. The overwhelming ratio of slaves to French owners

On Feb. 4, 1794, the slaves were emancipated, ending more
than 250 years of bondage. This created the New World’s first
independent black republic, Haiti.
Check your own understanding. Can you answer:
Why did the people of Latin America seek independence?
How did events in Europe influence the wars of independence in Latin America?
How are Toussaint L’Ouverture and Simón Bolívar similar and different?