SPAN 44 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Carmen Miranda, Corporal Punishment, French Revolution
Forging the New Nations: The Case of Argentina
● 1830’s were a confusing time period of convoludedness, uncertain, and turmoil; explains why the readings during
this time are confusing as well;
○ When we are observing successful liberation movements; you’d think that as independent entities the
problems are solved---> not the case
○ AT LEAST until around 1850s-60s, nothing was really clear in pursuit of independence
■ Who’s the authority? What kind of political/economic/social/cultural structure?
● Bolivar in his (published private) letter: UNCERTAINTY as what is to happen
● Last thursday’s poem (1826), behind bombastic heroism is a certain level of uncertainty; text calling out for peace
and pacification of the territories of Latin America
● Short story “The Slaughter House”: written roughly around 1839, short story full of conflict as well; type of political
conflict hidden below the surface is the piece of fiction?
Simon Bolivar: an Enlightened soldier/intellectual
● Author of Letter to Jamaica, was a soldier, known today as one of the liberators of Latin America
○ Most of his life spent actively in war
○ But also thinker, political theorist, and writer
● DUAL character: both soldier and intellectual
○ Born in Carracas, part of criollo elite (wealthy/privileged), soon engages in political and military strife;
○ Left strong mark in the political/military AND intellectual history of the planet
The Jamaica Letter and how to organize Latin America (1815)
● Exiled in Jamaica from May-December, 1815
● Addressed to Henry Cullen, an Englishman in Jamaica, goal of the letter to gain attention from British public
opinion and to win British support for Latin American independence
● Sense of uncertainty in relation to not only about what is ACTUALLY happening in Latin America iand about the
exact direction that the events WILL take
○ communications interrupted,lack of censuses and statistical information…
○ “I dare say mist is shrouded in darkness” (p. 12)
○ Addresses dismay over the lack of information
● Despite that, Latin American independence is presented as inevitable and irrevocable →
○ “Success will crown our efforts because the destiny of America is irrevocably fixed, teh tie that bound her
to Spain is severed…” (p. 13)
○ Despite all the uncertainty about the concrete details, believes Latin American independence was fated
(bigger picture)!
● Exprresses the opposition between Spain and American w/ multiple metaphors (some taken directly from
Bartolome Las Casas)
○ Spain and Spanish: wicked stepmother, tyrants, darkness, bloodthirsty savages
○ America oppressed, slaves in chains, light (scientific knowledge and political freedom), urgent need of
freedom from Spanish Crown
● Defines the criollos in the new political subject par excellence
○ Criollo pride, self confidence that criollos will be the rulling class of new Independent America (“we the
Criollos, not the Spaniards and not the indigenous peoples….”
● Calls to Europe and North America (as “civilized and “enlightened” nations) to help support the independentists
○ Favorable for international markets and international relations (“world equilibrium”)
● Makes educated guesses about which political forms the newly independent of America will adopt
Andres Bello: language, culture, education
● Wrote Ode to Agriculture of the Fertile Soil
● Historian, jurist, lawmaker, naturalist, philosopher, cosmographer, diplomat, journalist, educator, politicain,
philologist, and grammarian
○ Man of immense knowledge
● Caracas (1871), Santiago de Chile (1865)
find more resources at oneclass.com
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● Tutor of Simon bolivar when bolivar was young
● Exiled in London, England, between 1810-1829 → connoiseur of the British tradition of govvernment
● Expert in classical antiquity (greece/rome)
● In 1829, the new Chilean authorities offered him shelter and he settled in Santiago until his death
○ Dedicated to writing
Criollo love for America: Ode to the Tropical Agriculture (1826)
● Inspidred by Virgil’s, aims to provide a classical cultural tradition for America (neoclassic) and celebrate the
American landscape and American man
○ Celebration of American land, man, nature
○ Classical tropes → opposition between virtuous country and corrupt cities (vices, alcohol, gambling, etc)
● Call for peace and good governments for the continent
○ Drawn to new era of enlightened prosperity
● Centrality of the sun → metaphor of life, light, and secular knoweldge (science)
● Renders American landscape as diverse and abundant → recruits colonial trope of America as cornucopia
○ Nature needs to be controlled by men
● But warns against old colonial vices → lack of laboriosity, inclination for city life full of moral dangers and
corruption
● Call for new American man → virtuous citizen, productive workesr, sincere, modest, healthy and happy (concepts
of utilitarian and liberal philosphies)
○ This poem is a call for PEACE! Regaining of the “blessed” state of peace, productivity, natural abundance
of Latin America cultivated by labor that is considered the hallmark of the territory
● Celebrates the Independence of the American territories as a heroic deed
On with the “Forging of New Nations… the Case of Argentina”
A Chanigng and Uncertain Map
● Stabilization of political division of Latin America doesn’t happen till much later
● New republics DON”T have stable orders!
○ At this time the territories had gained independence from spain, but the political borders have not been
established/are unclear (what does chile and and peru begin??)
● Argentiniean border (kind of) stabilizes around 1853
The May Revolution
● May 25, 1810: in the wake of French troops solidifying their control over Spain, the Viceroy of La Plata (main
authority of Spanish crown) is deposed and a ruling junta composed of criollos is established
● However, argentine independence is not forammly declared until 1816
○ The “United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata”
○ Not even actually called “argentina” at the time (anachronism)
● Argentian will be plagued by civil conflict and foreign wars for years to come
The clash of two antagonistic political (and social) projects/factions: “Unitarios” vs. “Federales”
● Unitarians vs. Federalists
● Central authority vs. Regional autonomy
● Buenos Aires vs. Provinces
● Liberal trade policies vs. Protectionism (disagreement of economic modals!)
● Limited representative covernment vs. popular government
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Forging the new nations: the case of argentina. 1830"s were a confusing time period of convoludedness, uncertain, and turmoil; explains why the readings during this time are confusing as well; When we are observing successful liberation movements; you"d think that as independent entities the problems are solved---> not the case. At least until around 1850s-60s, nothing was really clear in pursuit of independence. Bolivar in his (published private) letter: uncertainty as what is to happen. Last thursday"s poem (1826), behind bombastic heroism is a certain level of uncertainty; text calling out for peace and pacification of the territories of latin america. Author of letter to jamaica, was a soldier, known today as one of the liberators of latin america. Most of his life spent actively in war. But also thinker, political theorist, and writer. Born in carracas, part of criollo elite (wealthy/privileged), soon engages in political and military strife;
