LATIN AMERICAN LATIN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONSREVOLUTIONS

Power & wealthPower & wealth Good land & homesGood land & homes

Work the hardest for the littlest rewardWork the hardest for the littlest reward

Resent (angry/dislike) their Resent (angry/dislike) their place in societyplace in society

Greatest number of Greatest number of people in societypeople in society

Living the Living the ‘good life’‘good life’

Struggling to surviveStruggling to survive

Would love to change Would love to change their situation--liberaltheir situation--liberal

Lack of education, Lack of education, adequate medical adequate medical

care, basic necessitiescare, basic necessities

Relatively little work—Relatively little work—no manual laborno manual labor

Conservative—keep things Conservative—keep things the samethe same

Fewest people because there’s only so much Fewest people because there’s only so much power and money to go aroundpower and money to go around

Strength in Strength in numbersnumbers

During the Age of Exploration…

Latin America had been colonized (taken over) by the Spanish and the Portuguese

With the Europeans in Control…

Peninsulares—Spanish-born (European)

Held all power in Latin America

With the Europeans in Control…

Creoles—Persons of European (Spanish) decent but born in

Latin America

Resented their lack of power in Latin

America

With the Europeans in Control…

Mestizo—Mixture of Native American

and European

Mulatto—Mixture of African and European

Native Americans & African slaves

Peninsulares

Creoles

Encommienda System…• System in which persons of “low System in which persons of “low

societal value” do all the work societal value” do all the work but high society reaps (gets) all but high society reaps (gets) all

of the benefitsof the benefits• Mestizos, mullatoes, Natives Mestizos, mullatoes, Natives

and slaves do the work…and slaves do the work…Peninsulares and creoles get all Peninsulares and creoles get all

the benefitsthe benefits

How Would You Feel???

• A foreign country invades your homeland, steals your natural resources, brings

diseases for which you have no immunities (killing millions), imports African slaves to

‘replace’ Native workers who have died and they are forcing you to do all of their work!!!

CAUSESCAUSES

Encommienda Encommienda systemsystem

The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment

American American RevolutionRevolution

French French RevolutionRevolution

Influences on Independence Influences on Independence Movement…Movement…

1700s—Enlightenment• People begin to question governmental

power…is it fair, is it right?• According to Locke, an unjust

government can be overthrown

Influences on Independence Influences on Independence Movement…Movement…

1776—American Revolution• Latin Americans see that a ‘lowly group

of rebels’ (American colonists) can defeat the mighty British

• The idea of revolution spreads

Influences on Independence Influences on Independence Movement…Movement…

1789--French Revolution• ANOTHER successful revolution led by

peasants…

• If the Americans can defeat the British and the French can de-throne an absolute monarch…what can the people of Latin America do???

What Does Napoleon Have to do With This???

• Remember…Napoleon was taking over countries in Europe; one such country was Spain

• Napoleon’s brother took the throne of Spain and the people of Spain had some decisions to make…

1. Focus their energy on getting their country back from the French…

OR2. Control the latin American colonies

an ocean away…

For Your Notes…

Napoleon’s Role in Latin America

• Napoleon took over European countries such as Spain and forced the Spanish to focus on regaining control of their

country• Because the Spanish were focused on

domestic (at-home) affairs, they loosened their grip on their Latin

American colonies…this made it the perfect time for people to step forth as leaders of independence movements

Leader Nation(s)

Causes of Discontent/

Motives

Actions Results

Toussaint L’Ouverture

HAITI

Horrible working conditions for slavesoverworkedunderfedFew rights & poor treatment of mulattoes/ mestizos

Fought for freedom from FranceLed a group of revolting slavesGot slaves freedRebuilt Haiti

Toussaint died before independence* Napoleon left Haiti because yellow fever was destroying his army* 1804—Haitian independence

Miguel Hidalgo M

exico

Hated European control of Mexico* Saw

slavery in Mexico

and poor treatment of Natives as unfair

* He was a priest who

called on his parishioners to take up

arms against the Spanish

* Led a group to Mexico City—slaughtered peninsulares on the way

He was captured and

executed

“The Liberator”

Simon Bolivar

Venezuala

Columbia

Ecuador

Peru

Bolivia

Lack of freedomsInequality in societyEconomic hardship

Set up an alliance with Venezuelan cowboysJoined together with Jose de san MartinWanted to create a single nation (Gran Columbia) but failed

Successfully gained

independence for Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru

& Bolivia

Jose de San Martin

Ar g e n t i n a

Chile

Peru

Detested European control of Latin American territory

Led an army

using his European military training

Won freedom from the

Spanish in Argentina,

Chile & Peru

EFFECTSEFFECTS

ECONOMICECONOMIC

POLITICALPOLITICAL INTERNATIONALINTERNATIONAL

POLITICAL: POLITICAL: THE CAUDILLOSTHE CAUDILLOS

* By 1830, nearly all Latin * By 1830, nearly all Latin American countries were ruled by American countries were ruled by caudillos.caudillos.

* The upper classes supported * The upper classes supported dictatorship because it kept the dictatorship because it kept the lower classes out of power.lower classes out of power.

* The lower classes did not have * The lower classes did not have experience with democracy. experience with democracy. Dictatorship seemed normal.Dictatorship seemed normal.

WHY?WHY?

EFFECTEFFECTSS

ECONOMIC: ECONOMIC: ONE-CROP ECONOMIESONE-CROP ECONOMIES

* Now that trade was not restricted to the * Now that trade was not restricted to the mother country, the U.S. and Great Britain mother country, the U.S. and Great Britain became the new countries’ major trading became the new countries’ major trading partners.partners.

* A colonial economy continued…Latin * A colonial economy continued…Latin America mainly exported cash crops and America mainly exported cash crops and raw materials while importing raw materials while importing manufactured goods.manufactured goods.

AN IMBALANCE OF TRADEAN IMBALANCE OF TRADE

* As the imbalance of trade grew, Latin American countries took out large * As the imbalance of trade grew, Latin American countries took out large loans from the U.S., Britain, and Germany to build infrastructure.loans from the U.S., Britain, and Germany to build infrastructure.

* When the countries could not pay back their loans, foreign lenders gained * When the countries could not pay back their loans, foreign lenders gained control of major industries in Latin America.control of major industries in Latin America.

THE QUESTION OF LANDTHE QUESTION OF LAND

* Thus, the creoles replaced the * Thus, the creoles replaced the peninsulares at the top of the social peninsulares at the top of the social pyramid, but other classes remained at the pyramid, but other classes remained at the bottom of the ladder.bottom of the ladder.

* Once the Spaniards were expelled, the new governments seized * Once the Spaniards were expelled, the new governments seized their lands and put them up for sale, BUT….only the creoles could their lands and put them up for sale, BUT….only the creoles could afford to buy them.afford to buy them.

NO!NO!

EFFECTEFFECTSS

AT LEAST, DID THE SOCIAL PYRAMID CHANGE?AT LEAST, DID THE SOCIAL PYRAMID CHANGE?