Latin America or Latin America is an ethnic-geographical concept that appeared in the 19th century to identify a region of the American continent that speaks Spanish and Portuguese as official or majority languages. It also includes French-speaking territories or countries. The precise delimitation of the region is highly variable, but in all cases it includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay. , Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. The inclusion of Belize, the French-speaking region of Canada, the Spanish-speaking states and possessions of the United States, especially Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, and the French possessions in America (Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy and San Martin). we tell you all about Latin America: the formation of national states and what was the First independent country in America.
Latin America: Colonization and Distribution
The European colonization of America began at the end of the fifteenth century, after Christopher Columbus It arrived in 1492, thanks to the patronage of the Crown of Castile. From then on, the Spanish Empire, the Portuguese Empire, the British Empire, France and Holland conquered and colonized some territories and populations that already inhabited the continent.
The Spanish Empire and the Portuguese Empire were the first to carry out the conquest, and they settled mainly in North America, Central America and the Andean area of South America (Aztec and Inca empires, respectively).
Spain was the power that imposed the greatest colonial presence in America, taking possession of the great empires existing in America at that time, in North America came to seize the Aztec Empire, in present-day Mexico, settling in their cities and from there controlled a large part of Central America.
In South America, the Spanish Empire after the disappearance of the Inca Atahualpa in Cajamarca in 1532, came to appropriate the Inca Empire, in present-day Peru, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile settling in their cities.
From the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco, the Spanish conquered and controlled the entire Andean zone and the Pacific coastal strip of South America from Panama City to Santiago de Chile, the central zone of present-day Chile. In the Caribbean, it dominated above all Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, including the florida peninsula within their Caribbean possessions.
Portugal appropriated most of the Atlantic coastal strip of the northern part of South America, which would later originate the State of Brazil. England established thirteen colonies in the North American Atlantic coastal strip, in addition to some Caribbean islands. France occupied present-day French Guiana in South America (still under their rule), Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico, some Caribbean islands, and the Canadian region of Quebec.
Holland established colonies in South America, Dutch Guiana today Suriname, and some settlements in Caribbean islands such as the Netherlands Antilles and the Island of Aruba.
Latin America: Beginning of Independence
The causes that led to Latin America to its independence and to create independent national states, were both external and internal, from overstory, we relate the most important.
INTERNAL CAUSES
- The desire of the Creoles to become independentwho wanted to have political power and greater economic freedom to be able to freely develop their economic activities, the free market, whose productivity was held back by the control of trade by the metropolis and the establishment of a regime of monopolies, taxes and obstacles. They insisted on taking control of the councils and the administration of the colonies.
- The idea that the State was a patrimony of the Crown It meant that when the Royal Family was retained in France, the colonies were not loyal to the courts of Cadiz and the Central Supreme Board, but instead formed government boards whose initial objective was return Ferdinand VII to the throne.
- The weakness of Spain and Portugal at the time of the independence of the colonies, who had lost their prominence in Europe, becoming even more evident when Napoleon invaded the Iberian Peninsula.
- The discontent of the Creoleswho wanted independence to change a colonial system that they considered unfair to be excluded from politics and economic decisions, and to find themselves, in many cases, exploited.
- The teachings imparted by the universities, literary academies and economic societies. They spread liberal and revolutionary ideals, it is the period of the European Enlightenmentcontrary to the actions of Spain in its colonies and that had great influence on the revolutionary leaders, such as the principle of national sovereignty, Rousseau’s social contract and individual rights.
EXTERNAL CAUSES
The foundation of the independence revolution Spanish American is in the loss of the special status of the Castilian kingdoms of the Indies, as heritage of the Spanish monarchy in America, and that had already been redefined in 1768 to a colonial condition due to the Bourbon reforms of the Spanish Empire, and that it was considered to decrease or disappear, just as it was intended to integrate it to Spain in the provisions of the Bayonne statute (1808)and of the Spanish Constitution (1812) .
The Hispanic American ruling classformed by european Creoles, saw the opportunity, thanks to the government vacuum in Spain caused both by Napoleon and by Spanish constitutionalism, to give impetus and sustain the movement and the war of independence as the only and definitive way to preserve and improve their status, that had been diminished and in danger of disappearing. A change was not intended except in the American social structure, divided by castes and classes, nor did they want a decrease in its administrative reach.
The feeling of “homeland”, It begins to sound and become part of the essential character of the movement, accompanied by a true social revolution.
- liberal ideas spread all over the world thanks to the Encyclopedia.
- The meetings abroad of the top leaders of the revolution and the participation of some in the European liberal revolutions, as well as their contacts with foreign governments that provided them with the possibility of having external support and the necessary sources of financing for their independence projects.
- The example of the United States of America, that had become independent from England, although they were still far from having become a world power, as well as the example of Francewhose revolution proclaimed the equality of all people, and their fundamental rights, things that the indigenous and to a lesser extent the Creoles did not possess with respect to the peninsular.
- Support with which they counted on the part of Great Britain and the United States, interested in the colonies becoming independent in order to trade freely with Latin America.
Most of the populations under colonial rule in Latin America achieved independence from Spain, Portugal and France in the course of the 19th century, following the anti-colonial independence movement which originated in the United States in 1776. In 1805 Haiti became independent from France; in 1809 and 1810 the independence wars began in the Spanish colonies; while Brazil gained its independence relatively peacefully by creating a sovereign monarchy in 1821.
Latin America: Key Dates of the Formation of Nation States
Mexico signed its independence in 1821, after the Mexican War of Independence. This war began in 1810 as a political and social insurgent movement against the “new Spain” that ended up being resolved by violence. In 1821, Agustín de Itúrbide and Vicente Guerrero signed the Iguala Pact, and on September 28, Viceroy Juan O’Donojú signed the Declaration of Independence of Mexico.
Venezuela signed a Declaration of Independence for the first time in the year 1811. However, that first regime entered into crisis due to the opposition of the royal forces. Simón Bolívar finally gave victory to the republican troops in the Battle of Carabobo, in 1823. Shortly after he definitively sealed his independence by taking the plaza of Puerto Cabello.
The independence of Ecuador it began to take shape in 1809, with the first visible signs of discontent among the Creole population against the Spanish royal power. With the independence victory in the Battle of Pichincha in 1822, Ecuador became part of the great Colombia, which ended up being dissolved by the confrontations between Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula.
The first insurgent movements in bolivia they were also provoked by the Creole population at the end of the 18th century. The independence process would last from 1810 to 1819. It would end with the victory of Simón Bolívar in the Battle of Boyacá, after 77 days of advance and combat from Venezuela.
Peru it signed its independence in 1821 but sealed it in 1824 at the Battle of Ayacucho, the battle that definitively banished the Viceroyalty of Peru and one of the key battles for the independence of Latin America.
in 1780 the first insurgent movements took place among the indigenous people of bolivia. The independence movement arose with the uprisings in cities like La Paz or Sucre. Finally, independence was signed in 1825, giving way to more than half a century of wars and constant confrontations.
The May Revolution of 1811 ended the Spanish colonial power in Paraguay and gave way to power to the Creoles. Although there is no exact date, it is considered that from this moment Paraguay is independent insofar as it does not depend on any foreign nation.
Uruguay it reaches its independence in 1828 after the signing of the Preliminary Peace Convention between Brazil and the united provinces of the Río de la Plata. At this time Uruguay becomes an independent state, separated from Brazil and Argentina.
The independence of Argentina it was signed by San Miguel de Tucumán in 1816. In it, the united provinces of Rio de la Plata (Argentina, Uruguay and the Republic of Bolívar) declared their independence from the Spanish state and renounced submission to any other foreign country.
The process of independence Chili it began in 1810 and had one of its final goals with the victory of José de San Martín in the Battle of Chacabuco, in 1817. Independence was formed the following year.
Latin America: dependent territories
Not all Latin American regions wanted independence, some preferred to continue their more or less dependent relations with other countries, one of them is Puerto Rico since 1898which after a war between Spain and the United States became dependent on this North American country.
Puerto Rico failed to find its independenceas they had achieved Cuba and the Philippines, that also belonged to Spanish sovereignty and that also passed to the domain of the United States.
Puerto Rico is a Spanish-speaking island. juridically…