Chapter 4 Section 3: Revolts in Latin America
Focus Question: Predict what might happen when Enlightenment ideas
reach Latin America?
I. Discontent Fans the Fires
A. The revolts that took place in Europe inspired many in Latin America.
1. The current social structures and political systems denied many people
status, wealth, power, and even freedom from slavery.
B. Spanish born peninsulares, members of the highest social class who
held top jobs in the government, dominated Latin Americans political
and social life.
C. Many creoles-the European-descended Latin Americans who owned
land-resented their second class statues.
D. Mestizos, people of Native American and European decent, and
Mulattoes, people of African American and European descent, were
angry at being denied status, wealth, and power that were available to
whites.
E. Masses of enslaved Africans who worked on plantations longed for
freedom in the Caribbean and parts of South America.
F. The Enlightenment inspired Latin America.
1. Educated creoles read the works of Enlightenment, the Declaration of
Independence, and the Constitution.
2. During the French Revolution, young creoles like Simon Bolivar
traveled in Europe and were inspired.
G. When Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808, many Latin American rebel
leaders saw an opportunity to reject foreign domination and demand
independence from colonial rule.
(What did the social structure deny people? Why were the Mestizos and Mulattoes angry? Where did creoles
get many of their revolutionary ideas?)
II. Slaves Win Freedom for Haiti
A. The first Latin American revolution took place in Haiti.
1. The French owned sugar plantations were worked by enslaved
Africans who were overworked and underfed.
B. The island’s slaves rose up in revolt in 1791 and formed an army.
1. Toussaint L’Ouverture, a self-education former slave, led the slave
army revolt.
2. By 1798, the rebels had won control of most of the island and slavery
was abolished.
C. Haiti wins independence.
1. In 1802, Napoleon sent an army to conquer the former colony.
2. The Haitians urged by Toussaint L’Ouverture fight again.
3. France surrendered in 1803.
(Why did the sugar plantation slaves revolt? Toussaint L’Ouverture led a revolt that eventually resulted in
whom independence? How were the slaves instrumental in achieving Haiti’s independence? What do you think
the Haitians would have preferred in a battle, death or being caught and enslaved again? Why?)
III. Mexico and Central America Revolt
A. In 1810 Mexican mestizos and Native Americans stood up against
Spain at the urging of Father Miguel Hidalgo.
1. He appeal to them in his speech that became known as “el Grito de
Dolores,” the cry for Dolores.
2. It called Mexicans to fight for independence.
B. The Mexican revolutionaries finally overthrew the Spanish victory and
eventually set up the Republic of Mexico in 1820.
(What did “el Grito de Dolores” represent?)
IV. Revolution Ignites South America
A. Simon Bolívar begins the fight.
1. The discontent among the Creoles spread across South America.
2. In 1808, when Napoleon occupied Spain, Bolivar and his friends saw
the occupation as a signal to act.
B. Simon Bolívar who was known as the Liberator and his forces freed
Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and
Bolivia.
C. Another creole, José de San Martín, worked his way up from the south,
freeing helping in freeing Argentina, Chile, and then meeting up with
Bolívar to liberate Peru.
D. Brazil also became independent, although it remained a monarchy until
1889 when social and political turmoil let it to become a republic.
E. The result of Latin American independence was that Latin
American nations were independent, but they were not democratic.
(What event spurred Simon Bolívar to begin the struggle for independence? What led to widespread drive for
independence in South America? Describe the result of Latin American independence.)