The Crisis of Independence (1810–1825)

Abstract

The new world empires of Portugal and Spain crumbled rapidly in the early nineteenth century. By 1825, Portugal had lost all of its American territories, while Spain retained only Cuba and Puerto Rico. What brought the long period of colonial rule to such a sudden end? Some historians cite long-term causes going back as far as the time of original conquest, while others emphasize an accumulation of more immediate causes in the second half of the eighteenth century. Our discussion will begin with the more complicated and protracted crisis of independence in Spanish America, turning finally to the Brazilian case for comparative perspective.