Northern Latin America Independence: A Study Guide
Background:
-Spain arrived in the New World at the same time as the British and French, motivated by gold
and spreading Catholicism.
-Settlements in Latin America were secluded from each other due to physical obstacles and
couldn’t communicate much through the colonies, unlike the American colonies. Set up separate
administrative regions.
-Young men tended to be the ones who immigrated to Latin America, as opposed to whole
families that would travel to English colonies.
-Government was run by Spanish monarchy and they were highly restrictive over their colonies.
-There was an extensive and complex bureaucratic system enforced in the Spanish colonies
(though not always effectively) which made it very authoritative.
Causes:
-Huge political divide between the classes of creoles and the peninsulares, the former being
discriminated against and were permitted fewer rights.
-Spain’s economic system of mercantilism (like England’s) restricted the colonies and prohibited
free trade, which antagonized colonists.
-Intellectual movements like the Enlightenment influenced some of the Spanish colonies just like
their English counterparts (though the difference is that these ideals of natural rights would be
extended to creoles only while the lower classes were not factored in, whereas in English
colonies the rights considered those of all men).
-A widened cultural and social gap between Spain and her colonies occurred, just as the chasm
between England and her colonies. Spanish colonists did not feel like Spaniards, and according
to the scientist Alexander von Humboldt many preferred being called Americans.
Practices:
-When Spain was conquered by Napoleon I in 1808, a rift developed in Spain's colonies on
whether they should remain loyal to the disposed king, or fight for independence.
-In 1810 a revolutionary junta expelled the Spanish governor from Venezuela, which then
declared independence and installed Francisco de Miranda as dictator.
-As that government fell apart and Miranda was turned over to the Spanish, Simon Bolivar
marched an army into Caracas, earning him the title El Libertador.
-llaneros (cowboys) which were backed by the Spanish defeated Bolivar and he fled to Jamaica,
where he wrote the famously important “Letter from Jamaica.”
-Bolivar soon returned with weapons and money from Haiti and led his army and outside help
(Ilanderos and English adventurers) in to the Orinoco region, and later attacked New Grenada.
-On August 7th Bolivar's forces met the enemy at Boyacá, scoring a stunning victory.
- Bolivar formed a new state: Gran Colombia, which was made up of Venezuela, Colombia, and
Ecuador. A constitution for this state was formed and Bolivar served as president under it.
-Bolivar and Sucre defeated the Spanish in Peru and Bolivar became president of both that and
Gran Columbia. Once Upper Peru became free of Spanish control, it became Bolivia.
-Civil war soon erupted in Gran Colombia; in the election of 1828 Bolivar assumed dictatorial
powers. Venezuela seceded from Gran Colombia in 1830 and Ecuador later followed suit.
Simon Bolivar:
-Essential to Latin America’s achievement of independence, and a brilliant military tactician.
-Wrote the “Letter from Jamaica,” which is considered the most important work of the Latin
American Independence movement, which expressed his plan for a system of representative
bodies and a lifelong president in the Spanish American republics he hoped to establish.
-After leaving for exile, Bolivar only made it to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast where he
died on December 17th, 1830 of consumption.
Effects:
Economic
-Economic stagnation
-No redistribution of land and income to lower classes
-Large estates dominated economics
-None of the expected foreign influx of capital or foreign demand for goods came
-English and Iberian manufactures damaged local manufactures
-Natural obstacles and lack of roads led to regionalism
Political
-New states adopted republican facades, with courts, congresses, and presidents
-Facades concealed dictatorships/oligarchies
-Executives were called caudillos, and had the support of lesser caudillos
-Legislative and judicial branch held no real power
-Election results were determined by ruling party
-Natives and mixed-bloods were either disenfranchised or manipulated by patrons (masters)
-All ruling class members agreed to keep lower classes out of politics
-Post-independence switched back and forth between dictatorship and revolt
Social
-Liberals (lower/middle class)wanted to break up the social hierarchy, with federal governments
and abolishment of special priveleges
-Conservatives (elites) wanted strong central government, Catholic control, and clergy/ military
rights
-Neither group expressed interest in the problems of the masses (native, black, mixed)
Foreign Intervention:
-Iberian powers were cut off from their colonies due to Napoleonic Wars
-British initially supported Venezuelan independence, but Napoleonic wars turned Spain and
Britain into allies
-Venezuelans received no support from Europe or America
-No official recognition by US
-Haitian president Alexandre Pition provided support on condition that Bolivar included
liberation of slaves
-British volunteer legions made of war veterans were instrumental