Latin American Independence
Uploaded by qtpie4u142 on Nov 29, 2006
This is an Essay that I wrote for World History Research*
Throughout history there were many countries exploited by means of invasion. During the age of colonization, Europeans imposed many things on the Latin American territory that have had an extensive, disturbing effect on the indigenous community. Europeans invaded and controlled much of South America and the Caribbean islands by means of trading, acquiring goods, and expanding their religion of Christianity through forced conversion. This resulted in a binding foreign culture geared towards the already established civilizations that existed there before they arrived. The people of South America, including the Aztec, Olmec, Maya, and the Inca, had developed complex civilizations which made use of calendars, writing, mathematics, astronomy, the arts, and advanced architecture. The people living in Latin America were used to their ways and saw no need for foreign aid, however the Latin American’s, at the turn of the 19th century, began to advance towards independence.
When the American-born population began to press forward towards independence, many trials and tribulations assured them that the process was not going to happen over night. Instead, it developed slowly due to social, political, ethnic, and economic factors. Enlightenment radically altered the ideas of people in Europe and America. Ideas that challenged old truths began to develop. Also, there came about ideas that praised individual rights, such as the belief that ultimate authority in society resides with the people, not with the king, or that all people are created equal in nature and possess equal rights. The French and American revolutions were strongly influenced by these new, bold beliefs. Inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment and the wars for independence in other parts of the globe, Latin American gained momentum to began their own revolution. America was a mixing of many different races and each class held specific rights and limitations. Natural born Spanish had access to the advantages and held the majority of power. The wealthy Creoles were able to ascend to positions of authority, but were always a step down the social ladder from the natural Spanish. Social inequality in America caused tension among the native population. When Spain, in an attempt to centralize their administration, began replacing Creoles with Spaniards in judicial and legislative offices, the tension was escalated even further. This challenged the position and comfort of wealthy Creoles,...