World Cultures 11

Unit III: Latin America

Name: ______________________________
Date:

LATIN AMERICAN PEOPLES WIN INDEPENDENCE

Directions: After reading the document below, please answer the following questions completely and
thoroughly in complete sentence format.
Background Question:
1. What three factors motivated the people of Latin America to rebel against their European
controllers?
Liberty, equality, and democratic rule motivated the rebellion.

Haitian Independence
1. Who controlled the colony of Haiti and what two leaders where responsible for their
independence?
Toussaint LOuverture controlled the colonies of Haiti. Jean-Jacques Dessalines was responsible for
their independence.

2. Why were they able to win their independence so quickly and easily?
They were able to gain their independence due to the fact that the French revolution was going on.

3. How was this movement for independence different from revolutions in the rest of Latin
America? [You will have to answer this question after reading the entire document.]
Haiti was the first black colony to gain its freedom.

Viceroyalty of Peru
1. Identify and explain the specific events on the European continent effected the movement for
independence in Peru.
Bolvar led over 2,000 soldiers through the Andes into Colombia.
San Martn left his army for Bolvar to control.

2. The movement from independence was spearheaded by what two creoles. Who were they and
explain how they were able to gain it.

Simn Bolvar- A brilliant general, writer and fighter-Took Spanish army by surprise by leading 2,000
soldiers.
Jose de san Martin-A very modest man- Joined forces with Bolivar to defeat Spanish army.

3. What name did they give to the independent viceroyalty?

Gran Columbia
Viceroyalty of New Spain
1. How did the movement for independence differ from that of Peru?
This movement for independence took longer than the revolution of Peru. Also this revolution was under
one leader (Jos Mara Morelos).

2. The movement began with the leadership of what two leaders? Explain their rebellion and its
successes/failures.

Miguel Hidalgo- He was a priest who took the first steps to independence. His rebellion was ended in
defeat.
Jos Mara Morelos- He was a strong leader but was also defeated after four years.

3. Ironically, a creole DID eventually was successful in gaining freedom from Spain. Who was he,
and whey did favor independence in 1820 when he did not earlier?

Agustn de Iturbide- He gained independence when he defeated Jos Mara Morelos.

4. What government/title did this liberator give the newly independent viceroyalty?
What happened to his government?
Central America declared an absolute independence from Mxico. Future countries formed such
as Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

Brazil
1. Why was this colony governed differently than the Spanish colonies just prior to independence?
Because for a revolution to happen, killing was not needed. Dom Pedro declared Brazils independence in
1822.

2. How did the movement for independence differ in this Portuguese colony than those of the
Spanish colonies?
This revolution happened without bloodshed or battles.