The Causes of the Latin American Independence

Movements

By Spencer A.L. Gorham

The New WorldColumbus discovers the new world in 1492.Funded by the Catholic Church + Recently Unified SpainColonization = Catholicism/Gold “The colonial enterprise

was based both on the necessity to develop European commerce and the obligation to propagate the Christian faith.”

New Spain is created in Mexico, other Islands are colonized. Creates want to pursue colonization of South America.

Destroying the Inca

Francisco Pizarro is given direct permission by the Spanish Monarchy to colonize Peru on July, 1529.

The Inca Empire had recently lost its emperor (possibly to small pox which was introduced by the Spanish in Mexico) and was in the middle of a civil war.

Small PoxDefeats the Incas with 177 men in 1532.The Viceroyalty of Peru is created in 1542 The last Inca ruler dies in 1572.

Class StructureThe class structure revolved around European bloodPeninsulares – European bornCreoles – European blooded born in Latin AmericaMestizos/Mulattoes – Half European blood, half Native

American blood/half African bloodNative American’s/African’s Creoles resent PeninsularesSome people “were born to serve”.Racism

The EconomyMercantilism – The Latin economy is tightly run by the

administration placed by the EuropeansThe Spanish were searching for gold but instead found mass

amounts of silver. Eventually causes inflation back in Spain.Slave labor and Coercive labor tactics are used.Silver, Tabacco, Flour, Rice, Wheat, Indigo, Corn, Fish, and

moreLatin goods go to Europe, European goods go to the

Peninsulares and the Creoles (Consumerism)No free trade.

Silver Mines“the Indian workers are punished and ill-treated to such

an extent that they die like flies and our whole race is threatened with extermination.” –Guaman Poma de Ayala

High death rate from unsafe conditions (Mercury Poisining)

Paid about half what they should have beenThe city of Potosí was funded by a silver mine. One of the

wealthiest and most populated Euro-American Cities. At its peak it rivaled London’s population.

Cultural IdentityAs European colonialism created a melting-pot of peoples

new cultures were formed.Catholicism trends in these cultures.People resent the Europeans for discrimination and

overall pigheadedness.Higher demand to become independent from Europe.

The EnlightenmentA new form of thinking is created by European

Philosophes in the late 17th early 18th centurySpreads to America = American Revolution 1765-1783The French who fought alongside the American’s have the

French Revolution 1789-1799Haitian Revolution 1791 - 1804

Culmination The Latin people are sick of European Governance (trade)Creoles wish to overthrow the PeninsularesRacism holds back unique cultural identities attempting to

flourish The word of revolutions in other places yields determined

people willing to die for independenceThe Spanish were weak because of the death of Charles

III and the reign of his son Charles IV + fighting in European wars

Question #1Would the Inca Empire have survived if the Spanish

didn’t eliminate them?

Question #2Would the Latin Independence Movements have

happened without the Enlightenment? If yes would it have succeeded?

Question #3Brazil became independent peacefully unlike the rest of

South America because it was owned by Portugal not Spain. What does this say about the Spanish Empire?

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<http://owulatinamericangeographies.wordpress.com/>. "Unit 8." Adventure to Global. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014. <http://rhahminaglobal.weebly.com/unit-8.html>. "Plantations." ***. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014. <http://www.landofthebrave.info/plantations.htm>. "Potosí Silver Mines." Welcome to IISH. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.

<http://socialhistory.org/en/today/04-10/potosi-silver-mines>. "“Washington Crossing the Delaware”". Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 07 Dec. 2014. http://

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"French Revolution: peasants storm the Bastille prison in Paris on July 14, 1789". Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.