The Independence Of Latin America

Latin America's quest for independence is revealed through the national struggles of Mexico, Spanish Central and South America, and Brazil. Excerpted from the Cambridge History of Latin America.

In the course of fifteen momentous years, the Spanish- and the Portuguese-American empires that had endured for three centuries came to an end in the mid-1820s. How did this come about? Not all Latin Americans desired such a change, and the independence wars were civil wars, often cruel and always violent. What social and economic groups lined up on one side or the other? Were there variations from place to place, region to region? Did men and women differ in their experience of war? How did Indians and blacks participate and how did they fare as a result? In the end, who won and who lost? Independence in Latin America is about the reciprocal effect of war and social dislocation. It also demonstrates that the war itself led to national identity and so to the creation of new states. These governments generally acknowledged the novel principle of constitutionalism and popular sovereignty, even when sometimes carving out exceptions to such rules. The notion that society consisted of individuals and was not a body made up of castes, guilds, and other corporate orders had become commonplace by the end of these wars. So international politics and military confrontations are only part of the intriguing story recounted here. For this third edition, Richard Graham has written a new introduction and extensively revised and updated the text. He has also added new illustrations and maps.

This brief text outlines the complex processes through which Latin America became independent of Spain and Portugal in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. The author argues that three major forces shaped the contours of independence: 1) the rise of a single world economy driven especially by the rise of industrial capitalism in England, 2) the response of the Latin American elites as they sought to gain advantage from these changes, and 3) the constant pressure exerted upon the elites by Indians, mestizos, blacks, slaves, and the poor generally. This edition uses a conceptual framework which places emphasis on the social pressures for independence mounted by non-elites.

This Oxford Handbook comprehensively examines the field of Latin American history.

"Rarely has the story of Latin American independence been told so richly and with such a plurality of voices. Chambers and Chasteen have expertly woven a comprehensive yet accessible historical tapestry of primary sources to tell the story of the Wars for Independence. The editors recover fascinating, lesser-known voices---many of which appear in English for the first time here---and situate them alongside canonical sources in rewarding and surprising ways. This is an indispensable resource for students and scholars alike, and an invitation to critically rethink the multiple meanings and resonance of Latin American independence." Christopher Conway, The University of Texas at Arlington "This magnificent collection gives voice to the many peoples---women and men, Blacks and Whites, natives and newcomers---who watched, fought, fled, and most especially put pen to paper as the Iberian empires broke up. All of them bring history to life. The introductions to each document, themselves valuable little essays, will guide even the untutored through the complex labyrinth of Latin America's first revolutions." Jeremy Adelman, Princeton University Maps and illustrations are included, as are a chronology of the Wars for Independence, suggestions for further reading, and a thorough index.

This book provides a new interpretation of Spanish American independence, emphasising political processes.