The document summarizes the causes and events of the Latin American revolutions in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It discusses four main causes: 1) Enlightenment ideas influenced leaders like Bolivar, 2) Creole elites were discontent with lack of power, 3) Inspiration from the American and French Revolutions, and 4) European powers like Spain and Portugal were distracted by the Napoleonic Wars. Key figures like Bolivar and San Martin led revolutions that resulted in independence for many Latin American countries by the 1820s, though Bolivar's dream of uniting them failed. The new nations struggled with problems like infighting, poverty, and the rise of authoritarian caudillo leaders.
4. Causes of LatinCauses of Latin
AmericanAmerican
RevolutionsRevolutions1. Enlightenment Ideas writings of John
Locke, Voltaire, & Jean Rousseau;
Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine.
2. Creole discontent at being left out of
government jobs and trade concessions.
3. Inspiration of American and French
Revolutions.
4. Preoccupation of Spain & Portugal in
fighting the Napoleonic Wars.
5. 1. Enlightenment Ideas1. Enlightenment Ideas
1. Laws of nature [NATURAL LAWS]
govern natural science and human
society.
2. Give people rights life, liberty,
property!
3. Make fair societies based on reason
possible.
4. Challenged the theory of “Divine
Right” monarchy.
8. 3. Inspiration of American3. Inspiration of American
& French Revolutions& French Revolutions
Declaration ofDeclaration of
Independence, 1776Independence, 1776
Declaration of theDeclaration of the
Rights of Man & of theRights of Man & of the
Citizen, 1789Citizen, 1789
9. 4. Preoccupation of Spain4. Preoccupation of Spain
& Portugal In Fighting& Portugal In Fighting
Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
10. Napoleon on the MarchNapoleon on the March
Provides a model & a diversion!Provides a model & a diversion!
15. The “Muscle” ofThe “Muscle” of
the Revolutionthe RevolutionBolivar comingBolivar coming
from thefrom the
North.North.
José de St. MartínJosé de St. Martín andand
Bernard O’HigginsBernard O’Higgins cross thecross the
Andes Mountains.Andes Mountains.
16. Bolivar & San MartinBolivar & San Martin
Fight for Independence!Fight for Independence!
18. Bolivar’s FailureBolivar’s Failure
After uniting Venezuela,
Columbia, & Ecuador into Gran
Columbia, he left to help free
the rest of Latin America.
He died a year later, with his
goal of uniting all of South
America unfulfilled!
21. 1. Brazil Freed from1. Brazil Freed from
PortugalPortugal
The Portuguese royal
family escaped
Napoleon by fleeing to
Brazil.
Pedro I set up a new,
independent kingdom in
1821 when his father
returned to Portugal.
Pedro II assumed full
power after Pedro I
abdicated his throne.
22. 2. Independence2. Independence
for Spanish & Portuguesefor Spanish & Portuguese
Latin AmericaLatin America
By the mid-1820s, revolts create
many newly-independent nations.
$ Toussaint L’Ouveture – Haiti
$ Bolívar, San Martín, & O’Higgins
in: Paraguay, Argentina, Chile,
Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, the
United Provinces of Central
America, and Gran Columbia!
23. 3. No Unity!3. No Unity!
Failure of Bolivar’s dream for a united
South America:
$ Many newly independent countries
struggle with civil wars.
By 1830s, geographic factors (mts.,
the Amazon, etc.) plus cultural
differences defeated attempts at
unification.
$ Gran Columbia.
$ United Provinces of Central
America.
24. 4. Independence4. Independence
Brought More PovertyBrought More Poverty
The wars
disrupted trade.
The wars
devastated the
cities and the
countryside.
25. 5. Left Many Countries5. Left Many Countries
in the Control ofin the Control of
CaudillosCaudillos
WHO WERE THEY?:
$ Mid-19c dictators military
authoritarianism.
$ Mostly wealthy creole aristocrats.
$ Immediately followed the fight for
independence.
$ Posed as reformers with goals to
improve the economy and better
the lives of the common people.
26. 5. Left Many Countries5. Left Many Countries
in the Control ofin the Control of
CaudillosCaudillos
WHO WERE THEY?:
$ BUT…Overthrew governments and
took away basic human rights.
$ Some attempted to make
improvements, but most just cared
about themselves and their families
and friends [nepotism].
$ Power changes usually occurred at
bayonet-point [coup d’etats!]
28. Additional ProblemsAdditional Problems
6. Feuds among leaders.
7. Geographic barriers.
8. The social hierarchy continued
from the past.
9. Conservatives favored the old
social order.
10. Liberals wanted land reform.
11. Dependence on foreign nations for
capital and for economic
investments.
30. ““The ColossusThe Colossus
of the North”of the North”
2 US dominated affairs in the
Americas.
2 1823 – Monroe Doctrine.
2 US takes Texas and Mexican Cession.
2 US gains independence for Cuba.
2 Roosevelt Corollary – US will police
the America.
2 US sent troops to Cuba, Haiti,
Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua.
2 US built Panama Canal – “Yankee
imperialism.”
35. The Mexican RevolutionThe Mexican Revolution
Victoriano Huerta seizes control of
Mexico and puts Madero in prison
where he was murdered.
Venustiano Carranza, Pancho Villa,
Emiliano Zapata, and Alvaro
Obregon fought against Huerta.
The U.S. also got involved by
occupying Veracruz and Huerta
fled the country.
Eventually Carranza would gain
power in Mexico.