Name:_____________________________
Date:_____________________
Questions on “The Price of Freedom”: Latin American Independence
1) What did Spanish colonies in Latin America resent most about Spanish rule?
2) What new ideas and events influenced the independence movements in Latin America?
3) What was the background of Simon Bolivar?
4) “Must the ideals of the revolution always be betrayed?”-Who was Bolivar speaking about and what was the
“betrayal”?
5) When did Venezuela declare its independence from Spain?
6) What was the “genius” of Simon Bolivar?
7) How long did it take for Bolivar and his army to liberate Columbia and Venezuela from Spain?
8) Aside from achieving independence from Spain, what other major goal did Bolivar have for Latin
American colonies?
9) What happened in 1806 to give the people of Argentina confidence to seek their independence from Spain?
10) What was the background of Jose de San Martin? What great military accomplishment is he famous for?
11) Was San Martin a “power hungry” individual? How do we know this?
12) After the liberation of Chile, what was the next Latin American country to gain its independence from
Spain? Who was appointed to head its government?
13) With the independence of its Latin American colonies how many centuries of Spanish rule came to an end?
14) Which Latin American independence fighter wanted “strong institutions, not strong men?”
15) What was the problem of “liberty or equality” that Bolivar saw?
16) Who opposed Bolivar and why?
17) Following their independence, why did Latin American countries have difficulty building democratic
governments?