Latin American Wars of Independence Sources of Discontent

Latin American Wars of Independence Sources of Discontent • A revolutionary fever gripped Western Europe, which also spread to Latin America by the late 1700 s. • In the 300 years that the Spanish had ruled, discontent was rooted in the social, racial, and political system had emerged. Ethnic and Social Hierarchy • Spanish born peninsulares (members of the highest class in Spain's colonies in the America’s) dominated the Latin American political and social life. • They were the only people who could hold top jobs in government and the church. • Creoles were people in Spain’s colonies in the American born descendents of Spanish settlers. They owned haciendas, ranches, and mines. They also bitterly resented their second class status. • The mestizos ( people in Spain's colonies in the America's who were of native American and European descent).

• Mulattoes (in Spain’s American colonies the people who were of African and European descent) they were angry at being denied the status, wealth, and power that were available to whites. • Native Americans suffered economic misery under the Spanish, who had conquered the lands of their ancestors. • Once independence was achieved the creoles, who led the revolt dominated government. Enlightenment Ideas • In the 1700 s, creoles that were educated read the works of Enlightenment thinkers. • Translations of the declaration of independence and the constitution of the untied states even circulated among the creoles elite. • Women actively participated in the exchange of ideas and attend salons called tertulias where independence and revolution were discussed. • Simon Bolivar was a Creole who traveled to Europe and was

Napoleon Bonaparte l When Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808, he sparked the wide spread of rebellion in Latin America. l He assigned his brother Joseph to take over the Spanish throne. l In Latin American leaders saw Spain’s weakness as an opportunity to reject foreign domination and demand independence from colonial rule.