Weekly Reflection

Part�3:�Independence

Decline�of�Empire � Neglect�of�Caribbean�Basin�– Britain,�France�&�

the�Netherlands�formed�West�Indies� Companies�by�17th century�and�began� colonizing�islands�not�effectively�controlled�by� Spain

� Bourbon�Reforms�– hands�on�period�designed� to�gain�control�and�increase�profits�from� colonies

� Divided�Viceroy�of�Peru�to�reorient�trade� away�from�Lima;�took�away�some� opportunities�for�Criollos

� Napoleon’s�invasion�of�Spain�(1807Ͳ8)�– nationalist�sentiment�lost�on�American�colonist� – loyalty�to�whom?

Decline�of�Empire

� Elite�Divisions � Extremely�classͲconscious�elite� society � Criollo�classification�detrimental�to� upward�mobility � Spanish�American�Demography�in� 1810 � 8M�Indigenous;�1M�African;�4M� European�(9:1�– Criollos:� Peninsulares);�5M�Meztizos

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Independence�Movements:�Mexico � Father�Miguel�Hidalgo�(1810)�– Creole�priest�

led�an�indigenous/meztizo�uprising�that� marched�from�Guanajuato�area�to�Mexico�City� – killed�Creoles�and�Peninsulares�on�the�way � Uprising�failed�and�Hidalgo�and�three�other� conspirators�were�executed

� Awoke�elites�to�dangers�of�revolution�from� below

� Augustin�de�Inturbide�(1821)�– creole�army� officer�gained�support�of�Royal�Army�and� declared�Mexico�independent�(no�fighting)�– he�made�himself�emperor � A�military�coup�ended�his�reign�shortly�after� and�a�federal�republic�was�established�– included�area�to�Costa�Rica�until�1838

Independence�Movements:�Northern� South�America � Simon�Bolivar�– a�creole�elite�who�led�

the�independence�struggles�of� Colombia,�Venezuela�&�Ecuador;� helped�San�Martin�with�the�liberation� of�Peru�and�Bolivia

� Had�a�vision�of�a�panͲAmerican�state�– from�1822Ͳ1830�Colombia,�Venezuela,� Ecuador�&�Panama�made�up�Gran� Colombia

� Convened�a�continental�congress�in� Panama�in�1826�– ultimately�the�unity� failed�(political,�cultural�differences)� and�La�Gran�Colombia�dissolved

Independence�Movements:�Southern� South�America � Independence�declared�in�1810�in�Buenos�

Aires�– Spanish�power�in�Peru�had�to� eliminated�for�this�to�actually�happen

� Jose�de�San�Martin� � Organized�Army�of�the�Andes�and� defeated�the�Spanish�in�Chile�(1817Ͳ18)� establishing�Chilean�independence

� Combined�with�Bolivar�to�defeat�Spanish� in�Peru�at�Battle�of�Ayacucho�(1824);� Spanish�finally�surrendered�in�1826

Brazilian�Independence � Napoleon’s�Invasion�of�Portugal�(1807Ͳ8)�

– Royal�family�fled�and�set�up�court�in� Brazil

� Peaceful�Independence�(1822) � Dom�Pedro�I�became�Prince�Regent�of� Brazil�after�King�John�VI�when�back�to� Portugal � He�declared�independence�in�1822� and�was�crowned�Emperor�– no� violent�break�with�the�colonial�past� and�no�civil�war

� Military�coup�in�1889�– Dom�Pedro�II� stepped�down�and�a�republic�was� established�

Challenges�of�Independence � Contradiction�between�revolutionary�political� philosophy�(democratic�ideals)�and�reality�on�the� ground�

� Tradition�of�authoritarian�rule�developed�with�the� exceptions�of�Brazil�and�Costa�Rica

� Liberal�&�Conservative�clashes�among�Creole�elites

� Caudillismo�– rule�of�local�strong�men�because�new� states�lacked�internal�political�stability

Challenges�of�Independence � US�Interventionism�– a�constant�problem�

after�independence � Monroe�Doctrine�(1823)�– claimed�the� Latin�America�as�it’s�“sphere�of� influence”�and�warned�other�European� states�to�keep�out

� Manifest�Destiny�– the�notion�that�is� was�Anglo�American�destiny�to�occupy� the�land�from�one�coast�(Atlantic)�to�the� other�(Pacific)

� Treaty�of�Guadalupe�Hidalgo�(1848)�– Mexico�lost�½�its�territory�to�the�US� after�the�MexicanͲAmerican�War�(1846Ͳ 48)

MexicanͲAmerican�War

Guadalupe�Hidalgo�Lands