Latin American Independence

The American and French revolutions took place in the late 1700s. Within twenty years, the ideas and examples of these revolutions inspired the people of Latin America to establish independent nations, most notably Haiti, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil. As a result, France, Spain, and Portugal all lost colonies in the Americas.

Haitian soldiers fighting Polish soldiers who were fighting for the French in the Battle at San Domingo

Father Miguel Hidalgo started the Mexican independent movement. Toussaint L’Ouverture was a former slave who led the Haitian rebellions against the French. He also had to battle armies from Spain and Britain. After becoming independent, Haiti quickly abolished slavery. Simon Bolivar was a native resident in northern Latin America who helped both Venezuela and Colombia gain their independence from Spain.

After these new countries were established, the United States felt the need to protect them from foreign influence. First, the U.S. recognized these new countries to be independent, free from their mother country. Then, President Monroe issued the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 which stated that the United States would regard any attempt by European powers to impose their government on any independent state in the Western Hemisphere as a threat to its own peace and safety. In essence, it told the European powers that they could not colonize or interfere with the territories in the Western Hemisphere.