Chapter 25 Revolution and Independence in Latin America
Goals of Revolutionary Movements Develop representative governments Gain economic freedom (individual and National) Establish individual rights and privileges End slavery and the slave trade (done by 1854)
Common trends during Independence Movements Caudillos Strong military leaders Represented a variety of social classes Centralists Supported creation of strong centralized national governments Federalists Supported creation of strong regional governments LIberals Supports of individual rights, typically more secular Conservatives wanted a strong central state Maintain aspects of colonial society (class structure) Typically more non-secular
Why later than North America Spanish colonies governed in more authoritarian fashion More sharply divided by class (see picture to right) Whites vastly outnumbered Creoles offended/insulted by Spanish monarch Enlightenment inspires Creoles and when Napoleon invades Spain, sparks Latin Am. Revs
Creoles Want independence from colonial powers Didn t like mercantilist policies (only trade w/ mother country) Colonial powers gave jobs to Peninsulares Creoles want more political power
Early 19th Century Latin America created new nations Problems many divisions over how to address the following role of religion type of society nature of economy form of government\ Plus always threatened by foreign governments new imperialists regimes neighbors seeking territory/economic advantage
Haiti Jointly owned by Spain and France 500,000 African slaves and a couple thousand white people Toussaint L Ouverture Led a successful slave uprising How is this different than America and France Nat based on enlightenment this was slaves having their own ideas about change SCARY This is at the same time as Napoleon Under L Ouverture successor Haiti became the first Independent Colony in Latin America
Problems in Latin America Caudillos gain power independent warlords able to organize army These caudillos could make/unmake governments Leads to government reaction of needing to hyper finance military Interested in power for own sake, not for country Support different groups some, elite, some mestizos, some Indian Centralists vs. Federalists Central Government controls everything or strong regional governments
More Problems Liberals vs. Conservatives rights of individual vs. maintenance of status quo secular nation vs. Catholic nation Conservatives wanted to maintain order not encourage competition leaders still come from elite class regardless of position Role of the Church Role in education Should role in civic life be limited What are problems of mixing Church and State Constitutions Too specific, overturned with each new government More successful governments gave more power to monarch/president
Mexico Mexican village priest, Father Miguel Hidalgo called Mexicans to fight for independence - 1810 Army of poor Mestizos and Native Americans Wanted to end slavery and reforms to improve conditions for Native Americans Hidalgo captured by Spanish gov t and executed, army scatters - 1811 Father Jose Morelos continued the fight but was also captured and executed - 1815
Mexico Mexico independent in 1821, Republic in 1824 w/ constitution Didn t address unequal land distribution, poverty, status of Mexican Indians, unequal education Liberals vs. conservatives - unstable Separate republics of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica Antonio Lopes de Santa Ana Caudillo during middle of the century northern territory of Texas wants independence annexed by US US wants a coast to coast empire manifest destiny Mexican-American war ended with unfair Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Gets ½ of Mexico s land all the way to California Mexico loses economic potential Mistrust of USA by Latin America
Mexico Benito Juarez Intellectual who pushes for secular nation Not influenced by military/church Led the Reforma Becomes dictator Liberal reforms fails European involvement
Argentina Originally a backward, rural area Hesitant to enact reforms to church or government didn t want to centralize 1862 Argentine Republic Balances central government and federalist Domingo F. Sarmiento Political/economic reforms Deplores caudillo influence in region Political stability leads to foreign investment Expansion of economy exported beef, hides, wool with money could implement reforms War between Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay led to heightened nationalism Defeat of Indians allowed expansion Jose de San Martin Liberator of Argentina and Chile Gains independence for Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia
Venezuela Simon Bolivar, The Liberator, took advantage of Napoleon s occupation of Spain and wins independence for Venezuela Believed in free market and abolition of slavery Forms large area called Gran Colombia (see map right) Goals/concerns outlined in The Jamaica Letter Creoles no political or religious positions, trade restrictions (mercantilism), no factories (economic hindrance) Largely leaves out lower classes
Brazil Transition to nationhood relatively smooth kept slavery, large landholding, export economy conflict between conservative monarchy vs. Liberal faction Economy based on exports Mostly Coffee estates Fazendas Intensification of slavery staple crop like cotton in Southern US Abolitionist movement didn t start until 1870 Nobles/courts bound to success of government Industrial/communication revolution encourages foreign investment following 1850 Huge immigration boom Monarchy starts to fall with abolition of slavery remember they supported owners
Result of Creole Revolutions While people of color were promised freedom, end of legal restrictions, and social advancement (ideas of the Enlightenment), few promises kept once rid of Spanish rule Creoles continued to form powerful and conservative upper class Women gained little Unable to vote, enter contracts, little education, submissive to men Exception Manuela Saenz, lover of Simon Bolivar rose to rank of colonel
Monroe Doctrine A policy in the US introduced on December 2 1823 It stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring US intervention
US gets involved US gets heavily involved in Latin America after Civil War 1898 war between Spain and US over Cuba/Puerto Rico Independence US market for Cuban Sugar Spanish American War began era of US direct involvement in Latin American affairs US interested in Panama Canal Supported Panamanian independence movements from Columbia US Takes over the world Latin America becomes weary of US Materialistic interests Nationalism grown in Latin America Catholic defense of traditional values Socialist attacks on Capitalism
Differences in Latin America and North America What do you know about difference in these two areas today? US grows increasingly wealthy, industrialized, democratic, internationally influential, and generally stable Latin America becomes relatively underdeveloped, impoverished, undemocratic, politically unstable and dependent on foreign technology and investment Both areas of revolutions began in similar circumstances, but resulted in much different societies