1. How does political change affect structures of power? (Example:how did the election of Barrack Obama change the US?)
2. What role does wealth (money) play in the demonstration (use) of power?
I. Classes and Conflict in Colonial Latin America
A. Peninsulares - colonists born in Spain; held important political and military jobs
1. Resented by Creoles, who saw them as staying in Latin America long enough to gain materially and then leave
B. Creoles- well educated, wealthy colonists born in Latin America to Spanish parents
1. Inspired by Enlightenment ideals of the rights of man and representative governments; resented privileges of Peninsulares
C. Mestizos - born of Spanish and Indian parents; worked as clerks or estate overseers
1. Also wanted rights and freedoms- they challenged elite ideas of revolution by asserting their own rights
D. Peons- Indians, Africans, and people of mixed ethnicities who worked as laborers and lived in extreme poverty
1. They were not all slaves, but still lived in virtual enslavement
II. Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin: Liberators of South America
A. Creole Elites
1. Studied Enlightenment theories in Europe
2. Participated in resistance movements in Europe and Latin America
3. Bolivar is often called the "George Washington of South America"
B. Revolts
1. 1810 San Martin liberates Argentina
2. 1810 Bolivar begins liberation of Venezuela; liberates Ecuador and Colombia
3. 1817 San Martin liberates Chile
4. 1824 Combined forces of Bolivar and San Martin liberate Peru; by 1824 Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile were all free states.
III. Problems with New Nations
A. Instability
1. Border disputes were common and provoked wars
2. Lack of infrastructure and harsh terrain made national unity difficult
B. Persistence of social inequality
1. One crop export systems dominated economy and perpetuated poverty as poor had little land for subsistence farming
C. Caudillos- "strong men" or dictators
1. Ruled by military force
2. Supported by landed elites, propped up existing order
D. Problems persist to this day
1. Latin economies are dependent on Western nations for exports
2. Extremes in wealth and poverty still exist
Answer: Because of the wars with Napoleon in Europe, European countries lost control of their colonies and by the time they tried to regain control, strong South American leaders had already been developed.
