infographic

1791-1825

Causes

The motivation of Latin America to seek independence

EXTERNALS

INTERNALS

Spanish and Portuguese colonies

Differences

Bolívar 2019

Instructions: Click in the order of the numbers to improve the experience.

Enslaved people and Latin Americans of African descent openly resisted their forced labor and wanted freedom.

JDawnnink. iStock, 2024

Thomas Nast. Emancipación, 1865.

Indigenous people competed for land and water as haciendas grew. Many became poorer and had to choose between low-wage work on haciendas or flee. Traditional leaders in villages were replaced by outsiders.

Jason Rich. Fording the Cheyenne, 2024

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

Eugéne Delacroix, 1830

The Battle of the Pyramids. Antoine-Jean Gros, 1810

Weakness of the Spanish throne

French Revolution (initially phases)

The capture of the Spanish king in 1808 by the French, offered opportunities for South America to rule for themselves by forming juntas (governing committees). The idea of self-governance as a middle ground was appealing, as it allowed them to statements in favor of autonomy.

Demonstrated that Enlightenment ideas could work. It helped inspire Haiti’s fight for freedom, as colonists, free Black people, and enslaved individuals claimed they deserved the same rights.

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

Portugal

Spain

• They had violent revolutions, causing chaos and breaking up their empire.
• Many colonies wanted to remove the monarchy and form republics.
• Different social classes joined the fight for independence.
• Colonies faced a lot exterior pressure, leading to more disorder.
• They experienced instability as colonies gained independence at different times.

• They became independent without violence and kept their king.
• Dom Pedro I, the king’s son, stayed in charge, bringing stability.
• Local landowners led the independence movement to protect their interests.
• The Portuguese royal court being in Brazil helped a lot.
• They stayed stable and prosperous after be independent.

VS

The kingdoms in the New World helped Spain make money. They collected taxes from indigenous people and raised sales taxes. Reformers also controlled goods like tobacco and aguardiente and added extra taxes on things the poor liked.

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

Pngtree. Drinking Alcohol Smoking Cigarettes And Growing Cannabis Illustrated Package, 2024

Kamran.nef. Flag-map of Spain, 2020

Criollos or Creoles

Creole in a Red Headdress.Jacques Amans, 1840

Peninsulares

The King Alfonso V of Aragón.Juan de Juanes, 1557

Mestizos

Spanish man and an indigenous woman with a Mestizo child, 1770

Criollos became frustrated with the special treatment of peninsulares. They felt more loyalty to their was their place of birth than to the Spanish monarchy.

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

Mulatos

Mulato and Mestiza, produce Mulatto, he is Torna Atrás [throwback]".Juan Rodríguez Juárez, 1715

Africans

Negro e Negra n'uma Fazenda. Miguel Cabrera, 1763. Johann Moritz Rugendas, 19th century.

Iindigenous

Pintura de Castas, 16. Indios gentiles.Miguel Cabrera, 1763

Republicanism and sovereignty

This idea that power comes from the people's consent, not from privileges, led to decolonization and the protection of freedoms for people who became citizens instead of objects of a monarch. Also, the Enlightenment contributed, because they wanted equality, progress, and self-determination.

Some independence movements helped or inspired this part of the continent to free itself from Spanish (and Portuguese) rule, such as:

• The United States´s War for Independence.
• French Revolution.
• The Irish Rebellion
• The Haitian Revolution.

Simon Bolivar and his Times.Arthur Szyk, 1929

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023.

The distance between Spain and its colonies created differences in the New World. Weak kings let criollos buy government jobs and own huge estates (haciendas), plantations, mines, and other businesses. But one king's successor viewed the colonies as inferior and didn’t trust criollos for important positions, so he only choses peninsulares for government and catholic roles.

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

Unknown author. Pinterest, 2024

Sodacan. The 1901 pattern Tudor Crown, 2010

Humans have found and invented many things for many decades, but what happens when powerful countries discover a new world with existing societies and take possession of it? Colonization brought wealth and power to Europe, but those who were born, raised, and lived in those regions did not.

American Revolution (1775-1783)

The Enlightenment

People questioned if the power royal was God-given and absolute.

The 13 colonies successfully fought for independence. Latin Americans realized that if the US could win against strong countries they could also gain freedom from Spain and Portugal.

Ideas emerged for nations to create a government that reflects the majority's will, with three independent branches (executive, legislative, judicial) to protect individual liberties.

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

Eliminates mercantilism where the only benefits are the colonies' powers, to impulse free trade.

Resource: Garrard, Virginia, et al. Latin America in the Modern World. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2023

The Birth of Old Glory.Edward Percy Moran, 1917.

Three Sources of Administrative Law, 2023