BELLWORK1. Describe the characteristics of a caudillo.

2. Explain the differences between the liberal/conservative parties and how they led to the rise of caudillos.

3. What is an oligarchy?

4. In 1855 an anonymous author said: “Independence is only a name. Previously they ruled us from Spain, now from here. It is always the same priest on a different mule.” What does this quote say about society post-independence?

5. THINKER: Are there any leaders in modern history that are similar to caudillos?

Mexico• Economic Problems• Exports did not keep up with

imports = trade deficit (began exporting metals; like gold & silver)

• New government inherited a bankrupt treasury

• Foreign loans proved ineffective; raised debt to 54 million pesos

• Britain invested in mining• In 1830, government provided

assistance to industry, but shortages of capital, lack of consistent policies, and unstable socioeconomic structure halted growth.

• Had to rely on mining and agriculture

• Principal exports were silver, tobacco, coffee, vanilla, and henequen (fiber used to make rope)

• Political Problems• Divisions between liberal and

conservative sides:• Liberals – power to mestizoes

and middle class• Conservatives – support racial

hierarchy; aristocracy

Mexico• Led to the rise of Antonio Lopez de

Santa Anna (ruled 1834-1854)• From the conservative side; did

NOT support liberals in power (then, current president Farias)

• First fought AGAINST Mexican independence from Spain, then for it (military general)

• Wealthy landowner in port-city of Veracruz

• He was general or president (or both concurrently) multiple times in his 40-year career.

• President on eleven non-consecutive occasions over a period of 22 years.

• Wanted a Catholic, centralist, conservative government (Mexico City)

Mexico• He immediately dissolved

Congress and began centralizing power. The regime became a dictatorship backed by the military.

• Suspended liberal constitution of 1824

• Increase power of central government; decreased state rights

• Land/$ qualifications for power• Restored sales tax and

government tobacco monopoly to increase revenue

• Mexican-American War led to loss of ½ of Mexico

Mexico

• Unhappy over economic policies, Alvarez (liberal caudillo) convinced France to send a king to rule = WAR!

• 1853 – Santa Anna launched terrorist campaign against dissenters

• 1854 – Alvarez issued a revolt and overthrow

Mexico

• After Texan independence Santa Anna wrote a letter to U.S. Minister to Mexico, Joel Poinsett, in which he proclaimed:

• “It is very true that I once threw up my cap for liberty with great ardor, and perfect sincerity, but very soon found the folly of it. A hundred years to come my people will not be fit for liberty. They do not know what it is, unenlightened as they are, and under the influence of a Catholic clergy, a dictatorship is the proper government for them, but there is no reason why it should not be a wise and virtuous one”

Santa Anna FUN FACTS! • Parents were very wealthy; pressured him to pursue a career in commerce• During the Mexican Revolution, he was shot with an arrow in the left arm• Gambling addict his entire life• His habit was to ally with the wealthy and be on the winning side of any battle

– Fought with Spanish; Iturbide promised to make him General so he supported Mexico; planned Iturbide’s overthrow

• Always focused on self-promotion– Proclaimed himself “the Napoleon of the West,” “The Savior of the Motherland” &

“The Most Serene Highness” • Santa Anna famously used a prosthetic cork leg; during the Mexican-American War, it

was captured and kept by American troops. The cork leg is displayed at the Illinois State Military Museum & the Mexican government has repeatedly asked for its return

• One month after his wife’s death in 1844, the 50-year-old Santa Anna married 15-year-old María Dolores de Tosta

• During his time in exile in NYC, he is credited with bringing in the first shipments of chicle, the base of chewing gum. His plan was to use the chicle to replace rubber in carriage tires, which eventually failed. Thomas Adams, the American assigned to aid Santa Anna while he was in the United States, experimented with chicle in an attempt to use it as a substitute for rubber. He bought one ton of the substance from Santa Anna, but his experiments proved unsuccessful. Instead, Adams helped to found the chewing gum industry with a product that he called “Chiclets.”

• Santa Anna was a passionate fan of the sport of cockfighting. He would invite breeders from all over the world for matches and is known to have spent tens of thousands of dollars on prize roosters.

Paraguay

Uruguay

Argentina

Chile

Guatemala

Guatemala• Problems post-independence:• 1823 – Republic of Central America: Honduras,

Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala

• Gradually states formed their own government, but split between two parties

• Liberal – middle class, artisans and merchants• Conservative – old elite, monopolistic,

landowners, church• Civil War = Morazan becomes president

(unpopular with conservatives)

Guatemala • Rafael Carrera did not

support Morazan’s liberal policies or his support of the mestizoes.

• He mobilized an army and took Guatemala City.

• Supported Catholic rule and death to foreigners.

• Ended Federal Republic and established a conservative regime.

• Made Congress name him “President for Life!”

Guatemala• Revived authority of the

church• Brought back native forced

labor and colonial titles• What began as a lower class

protest against modernization, soon became a conservative government controlled by a merchant oligarchy

• The wealthy elite provided him with money needed for his army

• Determined to dominate Central America

• After he died in 1865, the violence-filled period ended and liberalism was restored

Venezuela

• Problems post-Independence:

• Conflicts over slavery– Many felt it was necessary

• Bolivar changed rights of creoles and natives, but was criticized by wealthy elite and military caudillos

Venezuela - Paez• Jose Antonio Paez was elected in

1830 from the conservative side (some view as moderate)

• Was a military hero and champion of Venezuelan independence

• Combined presidency with general of supreme army

• Terrified of slave revolts and uprisings = race war!

• Arrested Liberal leader, Guzman, and sentenced him to death

• New Constitution in 1830 limited suffrage to 21 year old literate & wealthy males.

• Was president three different times: 1830–1835; 1839–1843; 1861–1863

• Returned to rule whenever the national government failed

Venezuela - Paez • Allied with the conservative oligarchy

because the oligarchy controlled a great amount of their country's wealth but was not popular with the masses whereas Páez was very much liked by the masses

• Ended dominance & economic power of the church

• conflict between church and state ceased to exist unlike other countries in Latin America

• In 1847 President Jose Tadeo Monagas, who was put into power by Páez, dispersed Congress and proclaimed himself dictator.

• Páez led a rebellion against him but was defeated and eventually exiled. (1850)

• In 1861, he became supreme dictator and ruled only for two years before again returning to exile.

• He lived in New York during his years in exile and died there in 1873.

Venezuela - Gomez• Juan Vicente Gomez was a military

general and caudillo from 1908 until his death in 1935.

• Gómez was a barely literate cattle herder and a nearly full-blooded Native American.

• In 1899, he joined the private army of Cipriano Castro, with whom he had been friends since Castro's exile in Colombia.

• This army swept down President Caracas in 1899 and seized control of the country.

• He became Castro's vice president and, in 1902, head of the military, responsible for suppressing several major revolts against the government.

• Liberal Gómez seized power from Castro on 19 December 1908, while Castro was in Europe for medical treatment

Venezuela - Gomez• Economic troubles (falling

coffee prices) led to period of recession

• Gómez managed to decrease Venezuela's debt by granting concessions to foreign oil companies

• Won him support of the United States

• Used the money to launch an extensive public works program

• He also received generous kickbacks, increasing his personal fortune enormously

• Support did not last long…… foreign powers blockaded Venezuela and demanded payment of debts

Venezuela - Gomez• Brought enrichment to the country,

particularly after the discovery of oil, which enabled the development of a modern infrastructure.

• His focus on road construction and the creation of jobs promoted social contact among Venezuelans of different regions – previously a rare occurrence – which created a sense of national unity in the country

• He brought about the end of civil wars by exerting power over regional caudillos and, as a result, Venezuela became a peaceful country and has been so for more than a century

• During his rule, most of the country's wealth ended up in the hands of Gómez, his henchmen, and Wall Street.

• At the time of his death, he was by far the richest man in the country.

• He did little for public education and held basic democratic principles in disdain. Although cordial and simple in manner, his ruthless crushing of opponents through his secret police earned him the reputation of a tyrant.

Gomez FUN FACT!

• Gómez was never married; however, he had two mistresses. The first one was Dionisia Gómez Bello, with whom he had seven children. The second one was Dolores Amelia Núñez de Cáceres, with whom we had eight children. Gómez also fathered many other children in brief relationships: at least 64 and possibly as many as 84. He appointed many of his children to public office

Peru• Problems post-independence:• Bolivar attempted to end slavery and equalize

power; considered everyone Peruvian citizens.• When he left in 1826, the Creole government

reinstated taxes on indigenous population and slaves (government depended on this revenue)

• Revolution ruined mines and plantation agriculture; could not compete with foreign powers

• Massive trade debt with England• Elite landowners were angry at social revolts and

instability• Absence of governing class and political instability

led to civil wars

Peru

• Under these conditions, people demanded change!

• Led to the rise of the military general and mestizo, Ramon Castilla (president from 1845-1851 & 1855-1862)

Peru• Emphasis on guano exports (England)• Guano boom led to the creation of railways • Social reforms – abolished slavery & indigenous tribute• Slave owners received 40% of slave value• Freed blacks became farmers = increase in cotton, sugar, and grain• Modernization in costal agriculture: use of cotton gins, boilers, refinery equipment,

and steam-drive tractors.• After Castilla’s presidential term was over, Peruvian farmers depleted guano deposits

and Peru went into a period of debt.