Category: South America

The Chilean war of independence against the Spaniards was decided in 1817/18 by the victory of an Argentine-Chilean army. General O’Higgins, who ruled as dictator from 1818, was overthrown in 1823. Argentina had broken away from the motherland in 1810 and officially declared independence in 1816. Here, too, internal party struggles shaped the development.

Brazil was since 1807 by the Portuguese King John VI. who fled Europe before Napoleon I. When the mother country, now a constitutional monarchy, wanted to renew the colonial relationship in 1821, Johann’s eldest son declared Brazilian independence; as Pedro I. he became Brazilian emperor.

In the former colonial countries, political independence did not result in any emancipation for the population consisting predominantly of Indians, Afro-Americans and their descendants. In the absence of a politically involved, state-supporting population, the thin layer of Creoles of European descent took over the political and economic power of the former colonial powers as well. They continued in the system of the haciendas, authoritarian large estates, on which the owners practically exercised government powers at the local level, from jurisdiction through administration to taxation. For more information about the continent of South America, please check programingplease.com.