Revolution in Latin America

Incentive for Latin American Revolution began with Napoleon’s invasion of Spain and Portugal, which had forced both kings to flee. Without any authority from Spain available, control of the Spanish American cities were taken by local officials. However, the size of Spanish American made it difficult for territories and cities to have constant communication with one another, which would cause the separation of the viceroyalties into distinct and separate spheres. In terms of goals and incentives, creole leaders of the regions announced that they were the ones who had built the new empire, as opposed to the peninsulares, who were the whites born in Europe. However, they had agreed it was necessary to “keep in place” the poorer, lower classes beneath both of them. Thus, even though the creoles wanted release from the Spanish authority, they did not want a bottom up revolution. This is the reason why, succeeding the wars of independence, women, “Indians, and free blacks still possessed little participation in public life.” Notably, women in the Latin American revolution fought alongside men.