Colonization and Independence of Latin America

1. Colonization and Independence of Latin America

2. Slavery in Latin America • Finding cheap labor was a goal of the Europeans in America in the 1500s. • Gold and silver found by conquistadors made Spain and Portugal wealthy. • The wealth also made them powerful countries. • At first, these metals could be taken from the native people. • As these supplies were used up, the Europeans decided to try to set up mines to get more.

3. Slavery in Latin America • As more Europeans came to the Americas, some tried to find ways to grow crops that could be sold in Europe. • Sugar cane grew well in the Caribbean and in the tropics of Central and South America. • The sugar cane was used to make sugar, molasses, and rum. • Both of these projects required a large and cheap labor force.

4. Slavery in Latin America • The native people were not a good choice for labor. • Millions died from diseases brought by the Europeans. • More died because of violence with the Europeans. • Natives that were forced to farm or work in mines faced harsh conditions. • Many of them died as well. • Many of the indigenous people simply retreated into the mountains or into the jungles. • The Europeans then looked to Africa for labor.

5. Slavery in Latin America • Africans were brought to the Americas by ship. • For many, the difficult journey ended in death by starvation or disease. • Once they arrived in the New World, the Africans were forced to work on plantations or in mines. • Long working hours, poor housing, and poor nutrition made life difficult. • Children born to the Africans were considered slaves too. • They faced a lifetime of work with no chance of freedom.

6. Slavery in Latin America • For about three hundred years, businesses that depended on slavery grew. • The laborers—slaves—grew in numbers as the plantations expanded. • Most of them lived in the tropical areas near the coast where large farms could be built. • This labor force helped to build many of the countries of Latin America, but most of the wealth was sent back to Europe. • As different countries gained freedom from Europe in the 1800s, they ended slavery.

7. Colonial Latin America • The governments of Spain and Portugal ruled most of Latin America for nearly three hundred years. • In that time, there were numerous battles for control of the lands. • At times, the people who were being ruled by the Europeans grew restless. • They thought about what it would be like to be free.

8. Independence Comes • The American Revolution in 1776 gave some in Latin America the idea that they too could be free. • In 1789, the French Revolution showed that the kings and queens of Europe could be overcome. • These events encouraged Latin Americans in the belief that they might be able to overcome their European rulers.

9. TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE • Toussaint L’Ouverture was a famous black freedom fighter. • He was a major leader of the slave revolts in Saint Domingue (present-day Haiti). • He was later made governor of Saint Domingue.

10. TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE • Francois-Domingue Toussaint was born a slave in the mid-1700s. • His father had been a free African who was captured and sold into slavery in Saint Domingue. • He told his son about freedom and what life was like before his capture.

11. TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE • Toussaint was lucky because the plantation owner allowed him to learn to read and write. • Toussaint read every book that he could. • He read books that were popular in France. • These books had ideas about freedom and equality for all men.

12. TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE • In 1789, the French Revolution occurred. The new government in France granted freedom to all free blacks and mulattoes (those with African and European ancestors). • However, the plantation owners in Saint Domingue were furious. • In 1791, the French government changed its mind and took back the freedom it had given to blacks and mulattoes. • This time, the slaves were furious. • Toussaint led a slave army and defeated the French troops.

13. TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE • By 1793, the French government abolished slavery altogether. • Toussaint then led his men against invading British and Spanish troops. • During this time, he was nicknamed Toussaint L’Ouverture, or “opening,” because he seemed to be able to find openings in the defenses of his enemies. • In the end, Toussaint L’Ouverture was left in charge of Saint Domingue even though it was officially a French colony.

14. TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE • In 1802, the French emperor Napoleon sent troops to regain control. • Some thought that he also wanted to reinstate slavery. • ToossaintL’Ouverture was invited to a meeting with a French general to discuss a peace treaty. • Instead, Toussaint was captured, arrested, and sent to France. • He was imprisoned and died shortly after. • Within two years, the people of Saint Dominigue declared their independence and renamed their country Haiti.

15. SIMON BOLIVAR • Simon Bolivar was a leader in the wars for independence in South America. • He and other leaders fought against Spanish rule. • They wanted independence for all the people in Latin America. • Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela won their independence through his efforts.

16. SIMON BOLIVAR • Bolivar was born in 1783, in Caracas, in what is now Venezuela. • He was from a wealthy family. • He had an excellent education and read many books with ideas on freedom and equality. • He lived at the time of the French Revolution and through that learned of the defeat of the French royal family.

17. SIMON BOLIVAR • From 1810 to 1824, Bolivar led different groups of troops against Spanish rule. • He fought in the lands that are now Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama. • He was able to finally defeat the Spanish in 1824 and end Spanish rule in South America. • The country of Bolivia was named for Bolivar, and he wrote a constitution to organize the country.

18. SIMON BOLIVAR • Bolivar is known as “The Liberator” in South America. • He is also sometimes called the “George Washington of South America.” • He became dictator and tried to create a single, large South American country called Gran Colombia.

19. SIMON BOLIVAR • It covered the entire northern part of South America. • Fights among different groups caused the different countries to break up. • Bolivar became infected with tuberculosis and died from the disease in 1830.

20. MIGUEL HIDALGO • Miguel Hidalgo is known as the father of Mexican independence. • He was a priest who led a peasant army against the Spanish army in Mexico, which was then called New Spain. • His force won some victories, but Hidalgo did not live to see independence.

21. MIGUEL HIDALGO • Hidalgo was born in 1753. His family saw that he got a good education. • As he grew up, he read books with ideas on freedom and equality. • He saw that there was not equality for the peasant workers in Mexico. • He also saw that those born in Spain got special treatment, compared to citizens born in Mexico. • After training to be a priest, he worked among the native people and peasants.

22. MIGUEL HIDALGO • In 1808, France invaded Spain, and the king was removed. • This created problems in Mexico. • People were not sure they supported the new French government. • Others did not support the old Spanish government. • A third group thought it was time for Mexico to be independent. • Hidalgo and his friends were for the third choice.

23. MIGUEL HIDALGO • In 1810, Hidalgo was warned that he was going to be arrested. • Those loyal to the French government had turned him in. • On September 16, instead of running away, he ran to his church and rang the bell. • People from the countryside came in. • Instead of having a church service, the people got a speech. • In this speech, Hidalgo said it was time for Mexico to be free.

24. MIGUEL HIDALGO • At first, thousands of people followed Hidalgo. • They won several victories against the Spanish army. • However, they did not have training, and they did not have many weapons. • Eventually, the Spanish army pulled its forces together and mounted an attack.

25. MIGUEL HIDALGO • They defeated a group of the rebels and captured Hidalgo. • He was tried for treason and found guilty. • He was executed by Spanish soldiers on July 30, 1811, but the war for independence continued. • Mexico did not win its independence for another ten years. • In 1821, Spain withdrew the last of its troops from Mexico.

26. Summary • Describe the influence of African slavery on the development of the Americas. • Explain the Latin American independence movement; include the importance of Toussaint L’Ouverture, Simon Bolivar, and Miguel Hidalgo.