Latin American Independence movements | 1450 - Present | World History | Khan Academy
TLDRThe video script offers a historical overview of the Americas around 1750, highlighting the colonial divisions by European powers such as Spain, Portugal, France, and Britain. It then fast forwards to the significant changes a century later, where most colonies achieved independence. Key events include the American War for Independence, the Haitian Revolution led by Toussaint Louverture, and the series of revolutions in Latin America spearheaded by Simon Bolivar. The script explores the influence of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution on these events, emphasizing the role of ideas advocating liberty and the right to self-governance. The narrative concludes with the decline of European imperialism in the Americas by 1850, illustrating the profound impact of these revolutions on the course of history.
Takeaways
- 🗺️ In 1750, the Americas were largely divided into European colonies, with Spain having significant control from modern-day Chile to Texas and California.
- 🇵🇹 The Portuguese controlled what would become Brazil, while the French and British also held territories in North America and the Caribbean.
- ⏭️ A century later, most of these colonies achieved independence, with the American War for Independence and the establishment of the United States as key events.
- 🇭🇹 Toussaint Louverture led the Haitian Revolution against French control, leading to Haiti's independence, the first successful slave revolt resulting in a nation.
- 💼 Simon Bolivar, a Creole Venezuelan, played a pivotal role in the Latin American revolutions, leading several countries to independence from Spain.
- 🌟 The Enlightenment was a major intellectual movement that influenced these revolutions, advocating for ideas such as liberty and reason.
- 📚 The Encyclopédie was a central text of the Enlightenment, aiming to collect scientific and political knowledge of the time.
- 📜 Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was heavily influenced by Enlightenment ideas.
- 🇫🇷 The Haitian Revolution was also influenced by the Enlightenment and the concurrent French Revolution, which weakened France's control over its colonies.
- 🌱 Haiti was a highly profitable colony for France, producing a significant amount of coffee and sugar, making its loss particularly impactful.
- 🤝 The French and Spanish, both significant colonial powers, were distracted by their wars with Napoleon, which facilitated the Latin American revolutions.
- 🏛️ By 1850, European imperialism in the Americas had largely ended, with many nations achieving independence.
Q & A
What was the primary division of the Americas around the year 1750?
-The Americas were primarily divided into colonies controlled by various European powers, most notably Spain, which had control from modern-day Chile and Argentina to Texas and California.
Which European power had significant control in what would eventually become Brazil?
-The Portuguese had significant control in the region that would eventually become Brazil.
What major event occurred in North America from 1776 to 1783?
-The American War for Independence took place, leading to the United States becoming an independent country.
Who led the revolt that eventually gained independence for Haiti?
-Toussaint Louverture led the revolt against French control, which eventually led to Haiti's independence.
What is the term 'Creole' referring to in the context of Simon Bolivar?
-In the context of Simon Bolivar, 'Creole' refers to someone of mostly Spanish descent who was born in the New World.
What was the overarching intellectual movement that influenced the revolutions in the Americas?
-The Enlightenment was the overarching intellectual movement that influenced the revolutions in the Americas.
What was the Encyclopedie and why was it significant?
-The Encyclopedie was a French publication that aimed to collect much of the scientific and political science knowledge of the time and is considered one of the central texts of the Enlightenment.
How did the French Revolution impact the Haitian Revolution?
-The French Revolution, which was occurring at the same time, weakened France's ability to exert control over its far-flung colony of Haiti, aiding the Haitian Revolution.
Why was Haiti an important resource for France?
-Haiti was an important resource for France because it produced a significant amount of coffee and sugar, making it highly profitable for the plantation owners and for France as a nation.
What was the role of Napoleon Bonaparte in the context of Haiti?
-Napoleon Bonaparte, after taking control of France, attempted to maintain control over Haiti, which was a valuable resource for France.
How did the American War for Independence and the Haitian Revolution inspire other revolts in Latin America?
-The successful American War for Independence and the Haitian Revolution, along with the Enlightenment ideas and the distraction of Spain and Portugal by Napoleonic Wars, inspired a series of revolts in Latin America, many led by Simon Bolivar.
By what year had much of European imperialism in the Americas come to an end?
-By 1850, much of European imperialism in the Americas had come to an end.
Outlines
🗺️ Colonial Americas and the Road to Independence
This paragraph provides an overview of the Americas around 1750, highlighting the division of the continent into European colonies. Spain is noted as the most prominent colonizer, with control extending from modern-day Chile and Argentina to Texas and California. The Portuguese controlled what would become Brazil, while the French and British had significant territories in North America and the Caribbean. The paragraph then fast forwards to the dramatic changes that occur over the next century, with most colonies achieving independence. Key events include the American War for Independence, the Haitian Revolution led by Toussaint Louverture, and the Latin American revolutions spearheaded by Simon Bolivar. The Enlightenment is identified as a major influence on these revolutions, with the Encyclopedie and the ideas of liberty and reason being central to the movement. The Haitian Revolution is also linked to the concurrent French Revolution, which weakened France's control over its colonies and facilitated the establishment of Haiti as a free nation.
🏛️ The End of European Imperialism in the Americas
The second paragraph discusses the impact of the American War for Independence and the Haitian Revolution on subsequent events. It emphasizes the example set by the 13 colonies and the successful slave revolt in Haiti, which inspired a series of revolts in Latin America, many led by Simon Bolivar. These revolutions contributed to the end of European imperialism in the Americas by 1850. The paragraph also mentions Napoleon's rise to power and his establishment of a vast empire, which included territories in modern-day Germany, Italy, and conflicts with Portugal and Spain. The context of the Enlightenment and the weakening of Spain and Portugal due to their conflict with Napoleon are presented as factors that facilitated the Latin American revolutions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡European Colonies
💡Enlightenment
💡American War for Independence
💡Toussaint Louverture
💡Simon Bolivar
💡Creole
💡Haitian Revolution
💡French Revolution
💡Napoleonic Wars
💡Emancipation
💡Decolonization
Highlights
In the year 1750, the Americas were largely divided into European colonies, most notably by Spain and Portugal.
Spain controlled territories from modern-day Chile and Argentina to as far north as Texas and California.
Portugal had significant control in what would become Brazil.
The French held territories in North America and several Caribbean islands.
The British controlled the east coast of North America and had Caribbean and Atlantic islands.
A hundred years later, most European colonies in the Americas had achieved independence.
The American War for Independence from 1776 to 1783 led to the establishment of the United States as an independent country.
Toussaint Louverture led the Haitian Revolution from 1791 to 1804, resulting in Haiti's independence.
Simon Bolivar, a Creole Venezuelan, played a crucial role in the Latin American revolutions from 1807 to 1830.
The term 'Creole' in this context refers to someone of mostly Spanish descent born in the New World.
Bolivar was instrumental in Venezuela, Columbia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia gaining independence from Spain.
The Enlightenment in the 1700s was a significant intellectual movement influencing these revolutions.
The Encyclopedie, or Encyclopedia, was a central text of the Enlightenment, collecting scientific and political knowledge.
Denis Diderot's article in the Encyclopedia emphasized that no one has a natural right to command others and that liberty is a heavenly gift.
Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence was heavily influenced by Enlightenment ideas.
The Haitian Revolution was partially inspired by Enlightenment ideas and benefited from France's own revolution.
Napoleon Bonaparte's control over France and the Napoleonic Wars influenced the struggle for Haitian independence.
Haiti's successful slave revolt led by Toussaint Louverture was the first of its kind to establish a nation.
Napoleon's empire at its peak included much of modern-day Germany, Italy, and conflicts with Portugal and Spain.
The American War for Independence and the Haitian Revolution served as examples for subsequent revolts in Latin America.
By 1850, European imperialism in the Americas had largely ended due to these revolutions and the influence of Enlightenment ideas.
Transcripts
- This is a map of what the Americas looked like
at around the year 1750.
And as you can see, it was for the most part,
divided as colonies by a bunch of European powers.
Most prominent is Spain.
You can see in this peach brownish color,
it had control all the way south as modern-day Chile
and Argentina and all the way as far north
as modern-day Texas and California.
You also see significant control by the Portuguese
in what will eventually be Brazil.
The French have at this point some territory,
especially in North America and in several islands
in the Caribbean and the British, of course,
have control along the east coast of North America.
And they also have several islands in the Caribbean
and the Atlantic.
As we fast forward 100 years,
we're going to see a dramatic change.
Notice roughly a hundred years later,
most of what used to be these European colonies
have now achieved independence.
In other videos, we go in some depth from 1776 to 1783.
You have the American War for Independence.
You see on this map now the United States
is an independent country.
From 1791 to 1804, you have Toussaint Louveture
lead the revolt against French control,
eventually gaining independence and establishing Haiti.
From 1807 to 1830, you have a series of revolutions
in Latin America, many of which were led
by Simon Bolivar, who was a Crejo, or Creole, Venezuelan.
The term Creole has many meanings in modern-day language,
but in this context, it refers to someone
of mostly Spanish descent who was born in the New World.
And Simon Bolivar plays an active role
in achieving independence from Spain for Venezuela,
what will eventually be Columbia and Panama,
Ecuador, Peru, and the country that will eventually
be named for him, Bolivia.
So there is an interesting question here.
What led to all of these revolutions?
The map that I showed you before,
that colonial map of the Americas,
these colonies had been in place for several hundred years
before these revolutions.
Why did all of these revolutions happen
roughly at the same time?
Well, one overarching idea is that as we enter into
the 1700s, you have the intellectual movement
known as the Enlightenment.
There were many authors and many publications
involved in the Enlightenment,
but perhaps most famous is the Encyclopedie in French,
or Encyclopedia, which said the intent of collecting
much of the scientific and political science,
knowledge of the time and is considered
one of the central texts of the Enlightenment.
And it was a series of articles published
from the 1750s all the way until the 1770s.
And to get a sense of it, here is an excerpt
of an article by one of the authors,
Denis Diderot, considered one of the primary actors
in the Enlightenment.
"No man has received from nature
"the right to command others.
"Liberty is gift from heaven, and each individual
"of the same species has the right to enjoy
"it as soon as he enjoys the use of reason."
And so when we get into the Declaration of Independence,
written by Thomas Jefferson, he borrows heavily
from these ideas of the Enlightenment.
Now, the Haitian Revolution was partially inspired
by these ideas of the Enlightenment,
but they were also helped by the fact
that France was undergoing its own revolution
at the time and it was not in the position
to exert strong control over a far flung colony.
The French Revolution lasts from 1789 to 1799
at which point Napoleon Bonaparte takes control of France
and starts the Napoleonic Wars.
Napoleon tries to keep control of what would eventually
be Haiti, was an incredibly valuable resource.
It produced a good chunk of coffee and sugar in the world.
It was incredibly profitable for the plantation owners
and for France as a nation.
But between the ideas of the Enlightenment
and the French Revolution, the slaves of Haiti
led initially by Toussaint Louverture,
were able to overthrow and set up their own nation,
which is the first time that this has happened
from a successful slave revolt.
This is a map of the empire that Napoleon establishes
at its peak and as you can see,
you see France, but he's able to take over much
of modern-day Germany, Italy, he goes to war
with Portugal and then eventually Spain as well.
Both significant colonial powers in South America.
So it's in this context, you have the Enlightenment
as we get into the 1700s.
You already have the example
of the American War for Independence.
13 colonies being able to declare independence
from one of the largest powers at the time.
Then a successful slave revolt to establish
their own country against another significant power.
And once Spain and Portugal are fighting Napoleon
coupled with the ideas of the Enlightenment
and the examples of the United States and Haiti,
it inspires a whole other series
of revolts in Latin America, many of which
were led by Simon Bolivar.
And so by the time we get to 1850,
much of the European imperialism in the Americas
has come to an end.
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