Latin American Independence Movements

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the Latin American independence movements and colonial society.

Haciendas

Large estates in Spanish America where self-sufficient farms were established, producing goods like meat, hides, and sugar.

Peninsulares

People born in Spain or Portugal who held the highest social status in colonial Latin America.

Creoles

People of European descent born in the colonies who experienced social and job discrimination from peninsulares.

Mestizos

People of mixed ancestry between American Indians and Europeans, often facing social and racial barriers.

Mulattoes

People of mixed ancestry between Europeans and Africans, typically having more opportunities than American Indians.

Simón Bolívar

Venezuelan general who led revolutions against Spanish rule and is known as El Libertador, aiming for a united South America.

Toussaint-Louverture

A former slave who became a leader of the Haitian Revolution, successfully driving out French colonial powers.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

A local priest who led the first major rebellion against Spanish rule in Mexico, known for rallying Indian peasants.

Monroe Doctrine

A principle established in 1823 by President James Monroe stating that the United States would oppose any European attempts to re-colonize the Americas.

Caudillos

Ambitious military leaders, often mestizos, who rose to power in various Latin American states post-independence.

Nationalism

Strong patriotic feelings that fueled desires for independence among Latin American colonists during revolutions.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that drove Spanish and Portuguese exploitation of their colonies for gold, silver, and markets for their own goods.