LATIN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS

The Spaniards attack the Aztecs

The Spaniards capture the Inca King

SOCIAL HIERARCHY

P

C

M

I & A

Peninsulares:Native Spaniards

Creoles:People of pureEuropean bloodBut born in theNew World

Mestizos: Indian +European blood

Mulattos:African +European blood

Indians and AfricansCAUSES

M

The Haitian Revolution: 1791-1804

Modern Map of Haiti

Situation by 1789

•Events in Europe would shape the history of America•The French Revolution began in 1789 & overthrown the monarchy by 1793.

Haitians were inspired by the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, and hoped they too would gain freedom. Blacks were especially hopeful.

Haitian Revolution, 1791-1804

• Haiti is the “jewel” of the French Empire due to its coffee & sugar production; coffee produced by slave labor

• Pre-rev. Haiti had a distinct, stratified social hierarchy• What is unique about Haiti’s revolution is that it was

a massive slave revolt, & slaves ran the country after they won

• Extreme brutality between white French & slaves, thousands massacred during war

Toussaint Louverture“I was born a slave, but nature gave me the soulof a free man.”

•Born a slave, but educated early in life•Freed around 1776•“George Washington” of Haiti•Owned a small plantation with slaves by 1791•Devout Catholic•Extremely able general who turned “common” slaves into effective fighting force•Named himself governor for life in 1801, proclaimed Catholicism as official religion of Haiti

Aftermath

• 1st Independent Nation in L. America• 1st post-colonial black-led nation in the

world• 1st successful slave rebellion• Economy in ruins• Class structure (though different, less

strict) still in place

Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia: All freed by Simon Bolivar

The "Bolivian" Revolutions

Simon Bolivar• Born in Caracas to wealthy family• Friend & mentor Don Simon taught

Bolivar about the Enlightenment, liberty, & freedom

• Entered military academy in Panama at age of 14

• Greatly admired American & French Revolutions, and George Washington & Thomas Jefferson

• Very anti-slavery, but nervous about mixed-race people

• Did not believe U.S.-style government would work well in Latin America

• No children, only wife died of yellow fever

The Napoleonic Wars (again!)

• Spanish Americans formed juntas to rule in the absence of the “true” king

• Junta: Spanish word meaning council• The juntas led to confusion and struggles for power

between competing juntas• Royalists and liberals fought for control of the juntas• By 1815 (end of P. War), Spanish America divided

between royalists and pro-independence forces• The Mask of Ferdinand: did Spanish Americans invoke

Ferdinand VII’s name only to achieve their goals?

Bolivar’s Military Campaigns• Bolivar returns to

Venezuela in 1807, given a command by the junta in 1813

• As the Peninsular War drew to a close, Spain began focusing on their American empire again

• Bolivar fought against royalists and forces that did not recognize authority of the United Provinces

First Campaign

• After political & military disputes in 1815, Bolivar fled to Jamaica & Haiti

• Returned in 1816, defeated royalists and proclaimed independence of Gran Columbia on Sept 7, 1821

• Gran Columbia = modern day Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, & northern Peru

• Bolivar named 1st president of Gran Columbia• Battle of Ayacucho in 1824: Bolivar’s forces captured

last Spanish viceroy; considered the end of the Spanish American wars of independence

Aftermath• Bolivar dreamed of uniting South America into one nation

(like the United States)• This never happened due to competing interests among the

new states• Not wanting Gran Columbia to start breaking apart, Bolivar

took measures to strengthen central power; named lifetime president then dictator in 1828

• Bolivar’s moves angered liberals, who tried to assassinate the leader in the same year

• Slightly disillusioned, Bolivar resigned in April 1830 to move to Europe; died in September before he could set sail