the wars for independence 1810-1824

new ideas from enlightenment

• liberalism

• nationalism

patriots and liberators

• the momentous events in spain triggered the wars for independence in spanish america. a first set of wars broke out in 1808. most colonists were reluctant to part with the crown and chose to remain faithful to king fernando of spain, even in his absence. what is perhaps most striking about this initial crisis is how few chose to challenge the colonial system.

simon bolivar

• the “liberator”

• between 1822 and 1824, controls most of the northwestern south america

• defeats spanish and royal loyalists in 1824 in ayacucho, peru

• wealthy creole Venezuelan general.

• volunteer army suffered numerous defeats; twice bolivar had to go into exile

• led army of over 2,000 in daring, difficult marches across andes and what is now columbia

• suprise defeat of spanish army at bogota

• 1821: won venezuela’s independence

jose de san martin

• argetine general and major leader in the independence movement in the south (argentina, chile, peru)

• 1821: seized control of lima, appointed 1st leader of independent peru

• 1822: after closed-door meeting with bolivar at guayaquil, san martin left peru for europe

the brazillian exception

• brazil becomes seat of portugese empire in 1807, after french invasion

  • 1820: portugese cortes demands that joao vi return to portugal

  • joao’s son petro stays behind as regent of brazil

• nationalists in brazil

  • much of the autonomy that brazil had was taken away with return of government to portugal.

  • pedor pressured to return to portugal as well, he refuses

• independence

  • o grito do iparanga, 7 september 1822.