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Chapter Reference: Independence; Postcolonial Blues; Nationalism
Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín were both called "the Liberator." They are unquestionably Latin America's two greatest heroes of the wars for independence, 1810 1824. Yet in Bolívar's case, the title rang across the continent. San Martín was highly admirable—idealistic, conscientious, and persistent. In contrast to Bolívar, he was modest and self-effacing. But San Martín's methodical focus on training and logistics never seemed particularly glorious, and he was also, unfortunately for his posterior reputation, a monarchist. Bolívar was a more inspirational leader, and he was a master of public relations before that term was invented. Bolívar sacrificed his personal fortune to the cause of independence. And perhaps most importantly, Bolívar's forces won the final victory in Peru and Bolivia. While Argentine historians have not neglected San Martín, the historiography on Bolívar is incomparably more vast. Today, Bolívar's image has been given a stronger-than-ever official role by the government of Venezuela. A paper on the liberators should focus on the emotive power of these figures in the writing of national histories and the shaping of feelings of nationalism in the late 1800s and throughout the twentieth century. Of course the legacy of the liberators has changed over time since the 1800s, something else students should be aware of in their research.
Questions for Analysis and Further Reflection:
- What motivated the liberators to take up arms against the Spanish empire? How did the motivations of the patriot leadership, overall, compare to the motivations of rank-and-file patriots?
- What vision of the future organization of independent nations did various patriot leaders have in mind? Where did that vision come from?
- Patriot leaders like Bolívar and San Martín are remembered with fervor and their images have been vigorously cultivated over the last century. How, exactly, has this cultivation occurred, and what political purpose does it serve?
Bibliography: (Titles with ** are good starting places.)
** Bolívar, Simón. El Libertador: Writings of Simón Bolívar. Translated by Frederick H.
Fornoff. Edited with an introduction and notes by David Bushnell. New York:
Oxford University Press, 2003.
This recent compilation and translation of Bolívar's writings give students direct access to the thinking of one of the liberators.
Bushnell, David. Simón Bolívar: Liberation and Disappointment. New York: Pearson Longman, 2003.
Bushnell's new biography of El Libertador is designed for undergraduates and concisely introduces this towering figure in Latin American history.
Conway, Christopher B. The Cult of Bolívar in Latin American Literature. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2003.
A scholarly study of Bolívar's changing image.
Harvey, Robert. Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for independence, 1810—1830. London:
John Murray, 2000.
This widely available journalistic retelling of the grand narratives and star figures of independence is readable but contains many errors.
Hamill, Jr., Hugh M. The Hidalgo Revolt: Prelude to Mexican Independence. Westport, CT:
Greenwood Press, 1981.
** Lynch, John. The Spanish American Revolutions, 1808—1826, 2nd ed. New York: Norton,
1986.
Lynch provides an engaging synopsis of the wars of independence—a definite starting point for interested students.
Racine, Karen. Francisco de Miranda: A Transatlantic Life in the Age of Revolution.
Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 2002.
Racine paints the portrait of a key figure of independence, though one who never received the acclaim of a Bolívar or San Martín.
Other Resources:
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