Estudios Sociales

Independence of America

        Some external causes of the independence of America are ideas of Enlightment, the Spanish Succession War, French Revolution, Expansion of the French Army under the control of Napoleon, the Spanish Empire crisis, and the independence of the 13 colonies. The Spanish Succession occur when the Spanish Habsburg King Charles II died on 1 November 1700. Charles II named Philip of Ajou his successor (Louis XIV grand son, French bourbons) but Austrian claimed the Spanish throne as well and proposed Archduke Charles (habsburgs clan). Phillip V  was recognized the Spanish king. So the Bourbons became the ruling house of Spain since. Charles III tried to regain political, economical and social control. The Reforms tried to decrease the power and participation of the Creoles in politics, economy. Some political reforms include the increase the power and control of Spain in its colonies, a new bureaucracy, creation of New Viceroyalties (Río de la Plata 1776 and New Granada 1717), creation of the Intendancies, and selling of some administrative position to the peninsulares (those were controlled by the Creoles). Some economical reforms include: it was  intended  to fight against piracy (England and Holland), it liberated trade and encouraged mining and other activities to improve the Spanish-Colony trade (Potosi), monopolies of Tobacco, gunpowder and Aguardiente (alcohol) were controlled by the state, and taxes were increased by the Monarchy. The Spanish crown claimed power over the Church. Jesuits were expelled form America in 1767. The Inquisition was reorganized and it had to answer to the new needs (new order). The Enlightenment is a philosophical movement in Europe in the XVIII century. It tried to established the use of reason. It also tried to teach the people to fight or to stop the Ancient regimen, (Absolutism and the Power of the Church). Reason is used to explain every single aspect of life, even God. Most of the philosopher of the Enlightenment as Voltaire and Jean Jacques Rousseau questioned and critized the Church and also the State. Laicism: Christian's virtues were transform in to social virtues. Reason: people were, are and will able to explain and understand every thing using the reason. Man: the human became the centre of the intellectual and cultural life. Critics to the Ancient Regime ( Absolutism and the power of the Catholic Church). Sorting of the Bastille July 14 1789 National Assembly. The execution of Louis XVI. Declaration of Human Rights  August 27. Seek for Liberty, Fraternity and Equality, Ideas of  Republic, Ideas of constitution, Declaration of Human Rights, Nationalism, Ideas of Freedom, liberty and Equality. Napoleon was crowned by Pious VII in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in  2nd December 1804. Invasion of Spain in 1808. Charles IV, Ferdinand VII, Joseph Bonaparte. The invasion of Napoleon caused in the Spanish Colonies in America the appearance of the “Juntas” led them by the creoles, the most important Juntas were: Montevideo 1808, Chuquisaca and Quito 1809, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Bogota, and Mexico 1810. Stamp act: a taxation imposed by England to support the British army in the 13 Colonies. The British Empire (King George III) also tried to rise taxes to the people of the 13 colonies and they rejected. The “Boston Tea party”. The Boston Tea Party was an important display of the fact that colonists were well aware of Parliament’s attempts to use the colonists’ tax money to repay British war debts and that the colonists would not stand for this unfair treatment. Tea party and other acts led to a revolution for the Independence. Intolerable acts. Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Boston Massacre (4 Bostonians killed by British soldiers) later widespread by newspapers. Decisions taken by George III in economic affairs into the British Empires and the 13 colonies   “No Taxation Without Representation”. First and Second Continental congress (1774/1775). The first congress did not want independence form England, but to gain their rights the parliament had taken away form the colony. The second congress declared loyalty to England but then realized the will not get a peaceful agreement with England. Resistance against the English. Meetings among the different congresses of 13 Colonies. Declaration of the independence in 1776. Declaration of independence. July 4th, 1776 included north American armies under the leadership of George Washington The committee included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was then given the task of writing a draft for the Declaration of Independence. Development of Capitalism. Spread of the ideas about the free Market economy. This process encouraged and influenced the rest of America. 13 colonies proclaimed a constitution in 1783 and in 1789 United States of America was created.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Latin-America/The-independence-of-Latin-America
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonization_of_the_Americas