Latin American Independence

A WH1 Presentationby Mr. Hess

Haiti

Haiti

• First successful uprising in Latin America.

• France depended on its colony in Haiti for sugar and coffee.

• The vast majority of people in Haiti were slaves, originally from Africa.– Most others were French.

Haiti, cont.

• In 1802, Francois Toussaint-Louverture started the uprising by setting fire to plantations and homes.

• He was imprisoned in France where he died the next year.

Haiti, cont.

• Haitian rebels, aided by an outbreak of yellow fever, then defeated the French troops.

• Haiti proclaimed its independence in 1804.

Mexico

Mexico• Miguel Hidalgo, a Catholic

priest, saw independence from Spain as the only way to end slavery and improve conditions for the poor.

• In 1810, Hidalgo led a freedom march to Mexico City, resulting in armed conflict with the Spanish and creoles.

• He was captured and executed.

Mexico, cont.

• His successor, Jose Maria Morelos, called a conference in 1813 where independence was declared.

• He was executed in 1815 when the Spanish and creoles again opposed independence.

Mexico, cont.

• Battles continued until 1821, when creoles, who feared a constitutional government in Spain, successfully declared Mexico independent.

• Augustin de Iturbide declared himself emperor of Mexico.

Mexico, cont.

• Iturbide was overthrown in 1823, and a republic was set up.

• The Central American Provinces then declared independence from Spain, forming Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Spanish South America

(Portuguese)

Spanish South America

• Simon Bolivar, a creole from Venezuela, started a revolt in Caracas in 1810.

• Bolivar’s forces defeated the Spanish in 1819.

Spanish South America, cont.

• Bolivar won freedom for Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia and Ecuador.

• Argentina, Chile and Peru were liberated by troops led by creoles Jose de San Martin and Bernardo O’Higgins.

Brazil

Brazil

• When Napoleon invaded Portugal in 1808, the royal family fled to its colony in Brazil.

• King Joao VI then ruled over Portugal’s empire from Brazil, which flourished under his rule.

Brazil, cont.• When Joao returned to

Portugal, his son, Dom Pedro took over.

• When a new Portuguese government tried to reestablish control over Brazil, Pedro declared Brazil independent in 1822.

• Brazil became a constitutional monarchy under Emperor Pedro I.

Aftermath

• Independence for Latin America failed to solve many problems.

• Catholic domination and class struggle (between creoles and mestizos) remained problematic.

• Most governments became military dictatorships.