Long Term Causes
There were many underlying factors that built up after a long time that motivated the people to gain independence and they included the Enlightenment, the preferment of the Viceroys and Peninsulares in office and their injustice, the Bourbon Reforms.The Bourbon Reforms which were overall a long term cause were generally made up of laws that are considered to be short term causes. The Enlightenment was a major factor in the Rio de Plata revolution. Men like San Martin and Bolivar were influenced by the rationalist way of thinking that caused them to want change. San Martin and Bolivar’s involvement with the Enlightenment, their exposure to European ways of thinking was crucial to the revolutions they would lead. The idea behind it was that royal authority was legitimate but as long as the king or queen did not rule tyrannically; in such case, the people had the right to oust the tyrant. This right was of great importance to the independence movements since it meant that sovereignty reverted to the people. Another long term involved the Viceroys who were put in place to keep a central government in the colonies. However so far away from Spanish influence the people put in place did not abide by the laws set upon them. They could do whatever they wished to do without fear of consequences. One of the major factors was the relationship in the caste system between the Peninsulares, spanish born, and Creoles, descendants of spanish born in colonies. The Peninsulares were given preference for seeking public office even though there was supposed to be no legal distinction between them. However in the late colonial period some Creoles had been competing with and surpassed some Peninsulares, that was the exception. For the most part there was not a fair distribution of wealth. The classes below the Peninsulares were severely handicapped. This was used as part of the justification for the independence not only that but the intendants who were mainly Peninsulares were factors that alienated Creoles from the the imperial system. The Bourbon Reforms were a consequence of the Seven Year War between Spain and Britain resulting in many Spanish casualties. It resulted in the increasing of taxes to revitalize imperial defenses. The Bourbon Reforms motivation was to centralize the colonial system and protect colonies from foreign encroachment. The Bourbon Reforms however, what it consisted of,
were mainly short term causes for the revolution.
were mainly short term causes for the revolution.
Document declaring the independence of Argentina.
"Un Congreso Que Hizo Historia." Edu.car. Ministerio De Educacion Argentina, 14 Aug. 2014. Web. <http://www.educ.ar/recursos/ver? rec_id=91837>.
"Un Congreso Que Hizo Historia." Edu.car. Ministerio De Educacion Argentina, 14 Aug. 2014. Web. <http://www.educ.ar/recursos/ver? rec_id=91837>.