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Summary: Mexico had a society built on race, with Spanish-born peninsulares being on top. They were under control of the Spanish king until Napoleon took over and gave his brother the throne. Miguel Hidalgo spoke out against the Spanish government, leading a rebellion. Many other creoles followed him, leading to a victory and independence from Spain. Mexico later had to gain their independence from France as well.

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Mexican War of Independence | 3 Minute History

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Summary: Miguel Hidalgo made the "grito de Dolores" (cry of Dolores) which was a cry for independence. He was inspired by enlightenment ideas and the uprising rebellions of surrounding countries. José María Morelos and Agustín Iturbide continued his fight for freedom against Spain, and won the battle in 1821 with the treaty of Córdoba. Iturbide fought for royalists until he switched sides due to accusations. This reaffirmed the influence of the Catholic church since both Hidalgo and Morelos were priests.

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The first two, and most notable, countries in the Americas to gain independence were the United States (1776), led by General George Washington, and Haiti (1804), led by Toussaint L'Ouverture . Other Latin American countries soon followed, with exceptions such as Cuba and Puerto Rico, embarking on their struggles for independence in the early nineteenth century. However, since territories were freed in sections with the ultimate goal of liberating an entire viceroyalty, the fight for independence came slowly and in stages.

Mexican independence

The Mexican struggle for independence began with the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores). In September of 1810, Miguel Hidalgo, the parish priest of the small town of Dolores in central Mexico, uttered the country's cry for independence. He called not only for liberation from Spain, but also for the end of slavery and the return of lands to the Indigenous inhabitants. A highly educated creole, Hidalgo had read the works of Enlightenment writers and had been an important community organizer in Dolores. While Hidalgo's efforts led to both the stripping of his priestly title and his gruesome execution, his cry set in motion the Mexican fight for independence.

Hidalgo's visual trademarks were his baldness and religious dress-both shown in Antonio Serrano's Portrait of Miguel Hidalgo . He is depicted inside his study, minimally decorated with books, a desk, and a small reproduction of the Virgin of Guadalupe. While the library reflects Hidalgo's erudition, the depiction of the iconic Virgin of Guadalupe alludes to both his faith and the image's historical significance in the struggle for independence: Hidalgo marched with a banner decorated with the Virgin of Guadalupe, a foil to the Virgin of los Remedios, which was used by the Spanish loyalists. In this way, the Virgin of Guadalupe became a symbol of Mexican resistance and independence, and was featured on the earliest Mexican flag.

After Hidalgo's failed attempts at instigating a revolution, José María Morelos, another revolutionary priest, and the army general Agustín Iturbide continued the struggle (Iturbide had originally fought for the Spanish royalists, but he switched sides following his dismissal from the armed forces due to accusations of unwarranted violence and misuse of funds). The Plan of Iguala, a proclamation which Iturbide authored together with the rebel leader Vicente Guerrero in 1821, proclaimed Mexico's independence from Spain while reaffirming the country's alliance with the Roman Catholic Church and establishing equal rights for both criollos and peninsulares . On August 24, 1821, with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba, Spain finally recognized the independence of the First Mexican Empire, led by none other than Iturbide himself.

An allegorical history painting

In Mexico, historical narratives were often symbolically depicted, as in by an unknown painter. The seated figure, an allegorical (symbolic) representation of Independence, is adorned with Mexican accessories such as an Allegory of Independence Aztec (Mexica) feathered headdress; however, she also holds a Phrygian cap, a symbol of freedom usually associated with the French Revolution. She is flanked by the figures of Hidalgo (on the left) and Iturbide (on the right)-portrayed here as the fathers of Mexican independence. Hidalgo crowns Independence's head with laurels (a classical sign of victory), while Iturbide breaks the chains of enslavement. In terms of her ethnicity, Independence appears closer to the depiction of Iturbide than to Hidalgo, whose skin tone reflects Amerindian ancestry, even though he was a creole ( criollo). Hidalgo and Independence step on a figure who represents despotism, and who is being shooed away by the eagle, a symbolic reference to the Aztecs. Together, these symbols of Mexican independence articulate both a sense of pride in Aztec ancestry and an appreciation for European ideas of liberty. With their depictions of potently symbolic figures and themes, such paintings energized the struggles for Latin American independence and aided in the creation of national unity.
Additional resources
Learn more about 19th-century post-independence Latin America in a Reframing Art History chapter.
Timeline of Mexico and Central America, 1800-1900, on The Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.

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Revolutionary priests and an ex-member of the Spanish military led a charge for independence and equality for some.

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Summary: Brazil declared it's independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822. It marked the end of over 3 centuries of Portugal's rule. The Portuguese had enslaved Brazilians and taken advantage of their resources since the 17th century. The Portuguese royal family fled to Brazil when Napoleon led his troops to Portugal, leaving them completely in charge of the country. When they were able to go back to Portugal, the prince, Dom Pedro, decided to stay in Brazil. He led Brazil and was able to free the country from his father's rule peacefully.

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Summary: Colombia's name is derived from explorer Christopher Columbus, similarly to how Bolivia was named after Simon Bolivar. Colombians created a constitution which was issued on July 20, 1810, which is celebrated as their independence day. Antonio Nariño fought against the Spanish and led the opposition against royalty. The united provinces of New Granada were proclaimed in 1811. Spain suddenly sent military to northern South America to reclaim some of the land, and revolts ensued. The resistance was won and independence was again proclaimed by Bolivar in 1819.

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Colombia History in 5 Minutes - Animation

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Summary: José Joaquim da Silva Xavier led the first rebellion against the Portuguese and was executed due to it. When the Napoleonic wars led the Portuguese royal family to flee from their throne, they all arrived in Rio in 1808. The Brazilian people warmly welcomed Prince Dom João to their country as he passed a series of reforms. He helped their economy by setting up trade and giving them more independence from Portugal. When tensions were high between the two countries, Dom made a promise to stay loyal to Brazil, which most citizens supported. Brazil went through several regional revolts but ultimately won their independence.

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Summary: Gran Colombia was created in 1819 by Simón Bolívar and encompassed most of South America. He wanted to fight for a unified Latin America. By 1824, Grand Colombia had 12 administrative departments from helping other provinces break away from Spain. Royalist forces fought with Bolivar at Carabobo, and his win led to Venezuela's independence and the establishment of Gran Colombia. There was a political struggle between citizens who wanted a strong presidency and citizens who wanted a decentralized government, which led to provinces beginning to break away from Gran Colombia.

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The South American Revolutions: Gran Colombia | Saylor Academy

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Just as had occurred during the American Revolution, the revolutions in South America split loyalists who continued to support the Spanish monarchy and those who wanted independence. To stem the intense infighting and conflict that frequently resulted, Bolívar became a temporary dictator in Venezuela and Peru and president of the newly-formed Gran Colombia. Read this article, which describes the power dynamic between revolutionaries and royalists. How did this type of conflict impact the revolutionary movements?