01:506:201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 25: Gran Colombia, Haitian Revolution, Execution By Firing Squad
17 May 2018
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Chapter 25
The Consolidation of Latin America, 1830-1920
1. Introduction
1. Maximilian I – Austrian emperor – firing squad in 1867
1. Killed after years of Civil War
2. Proved need for Latin America to figure out future w/ out
Europe
2. Early 19th century – Latin America created new nations
1. Problems…many divisions over how to address the
following
1. Role of religion
2. Type of society
3. nature of economy
4. form of government
2. Plus…always threatened by
1. Foreign governments
2. new imperialist regimes
3. neighbors seeking territory/economic advantage
3. Is it a “developing nation” or part of European Enlightenment?
1. Enlightenment
1. Shared virtues of progress, reform
2. Representational government
3. Constitutional government
4. private property rights
2. Problems of colonial government
1. No history of participatory government
2. Dependence on invasive central authority
3. Class/regional differences divided nation
4. Huge wealth/income disparity
5. European industrialization made Latin America a
dependent nation
2. From Colonies to Nations
1. Introduction
1. Shared resentment of creoles and others
(Natives/mestizos/mulattos)
1. new taxes and administrative reforms
2. Creoles – Enlightened ideas
2. But…still…class differences too much to overcome
1. Many attempts at independence failed – wealthy
worried about losing power
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2. Causes of Political Change
1. Events encouraging change
1. American Revolution – 1776
2. French Revolution – 1789
1. But…regicide, rejection of Church, social
leveling too much
3. Haitian Revolution – 1791
1. Toussaint L’Overture overthrows French
colonial control
1. Makes local wealthy very hesitant to enlist
the masses
4. Confused Iberian political situation
1. Napoleon’s appointed brother vs. juntra central
2. Independent juntas self-servingly set up own
juntas
3. Spanish American Independent Struggles
1. Mexico
1. Father Miguel de Hidalgo encourages Indians and
mestizos - 1810
1. Later captured and executed after early
victories – threat to elite
2. 1820 – Augustin de Itubide – creole captures Mexico
City w/ mestizo/Ind help
1. Proclaimed emperor of Mexico
2. Initially all of Central America attached, but by
1838 all had split off
2. South America/Caribbean – break away in reverse order of
exploration
1. Argentina/Venezuela first and Caribbean last
1. Fearful of slave resistance – bonjour Haiti
2. 1820-1833 Gran Colombia – then broken to
Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia
2. Creole Jose de San Martin fights for Argentina,
Bolivia, Uruguay independence
1. Conservative creoles eventually supported after
a ton of victories
3. By 1825 all Spanish South America had gained its
independence
4. Brazilian Independence
1. By end of 18th century Brazil economically important
1. European demand for sugar, cotton, cacao
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2. Creoles, upper class unwilling to risk change – lose to
lower classes
2. Portuguese king and queen flee Portugal and head to Brazil
1. After Napoleon’s invasion
2. Rule Portugal from Brazil
3. Brazil not seen as inferior – equal to Portugal
4. Rio de Janeiro becomes imperial city
1. Leads to immigration of bureaucrats – threatens
authority
5. By 1820, things change – king moves back – Brazil
pathetic again
1. Dom Pedro – Dom Joao VI’s (king of Portugal’s)
son
5. Final conclusions
1. So…Mexico becomes monarchy, Brazil monarchy under
Portugues ruling family, rest of South America a parliament
3. New Nations Confront Old and New Problems
1. Introduction
1. Initially people think there might be reform
1. meritocracy
2. representative government
3. right to private property
4. individual as basis to society
2. Issues
1. Should Catholicism be national religion?
2. Free slaves/egalitarian vs. economic focus as priority
– Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil
3. Color distinction
1. Many mestizos/Natives concerned that political
offices won by same corrupt aristocracy
2. Political Fragmentation
1. nations divide due to political divisions, regional rivalries,
economic competition
2. Gran Colombia only held together under leadership of
Simon Bolivar
1. his death puts out fire of protest
3. Why did uniting fail?
1. Geographic barriers
2. Great distances
1. Poor roads
3. Regional differences/political divisions too much
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