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420 History

FIND OUT MORE. South America 232–233

WHO ENDED PORTUGUESE RULE IN BRAZIL?

When Portugal was invaded by the French

emperor Napoleon in 1807, the Portuguese

royal family fled to their colony of Brazil.

King John VI returned home in 1821,

leaving his son Pedro to rule Brazil for him,

but in 1822, Pedro declared himself to be

emperor of an independent Brazil.

WHEN DID ARGENTINA BECOME INDEPENDENT?

The capital city of Argentina, Buenos Aires

(meaning “fair winds”), was founded by the Spanish

in the 16th century. In 1810, its people rose up against

Spanish rule, gaining their independence in 1816.

There followed a civil war between the city dwellers

and the ranchers of the provinces. The country

was finally united in 1852.

WHAT WERE SOUTH AMERICA’S NEW ECONOMIES?

In the 19th century, South America’s gold and silver

mines began to run out. A new source of wealth was

needed. In Brazil, plantations of coffee and rubber were

set up, while Argentina’s grasslands supported sheep

and cattle. When refrigeration was invented, huge

amounts of beef were exported from Buenos Aires.

1 GAUCHOS OF ARGENTINA

The Gauchos were Argentine

cowboys, of part Spanish, part

Indian descent. These daring,

hard-living rogues opposed the

new Buenos Aires government,

backing their own leaders in a

struggle for power.

SOUTH AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE

The American empires founded by Spain and Portugal

broke up in the 19th century. These European countries

were no longer powerful and their colonies struggled to

break away. Wars brought liberation, but independence

was often followed by strife between the new nations.

4 THE TURNING POINT

Bolívar was born in Venezuela. He

defeated the Spanish at Carabobo

in 1821. Venezuela, Ecuador,

Colombia, and Panama all became

part of an independent republic

called Gran Colombia. Venezuela

withdrew from this in 1829.

1816 Argentina

declares

independence

1818 San Martín

liberates Chile

1819 Gran Colombia

is founded

1821 Peru gains

independence

Venezuela and

Ecuador are

liberated

1822 Brazil breaks

away from

Portugal

1822 Brazil annexes

Uruguay

1825 Bolivia is

liberated

LIBERATION

WHO WAS KNOWN AS THE LIBERATOR?

Simón Bolívar, “the Liberator”, helped to free much

of South America. He fought in Venezuela and ruled

Colombia and Ecuador. He freed Peru, and Bolivia

was renamed in his honour. Other freedom fighters

included Bernardo O’Higgins and José de San Martín,

who fought in Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

The Spanish flag

is given up to the

victorious rebels

South American

independence