Enlightenment and Empires
This 17th and 18th-century intellectual movement transformed thinking about government, religion, and human rights.
What is the Age of Enlightenment?
Before gaining independence, the rich sugar colony of Haiti was known by this French name.
What is Saint-Domingue?
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, this aristocratic leader earned a legendary title for liberating northern South America.
Who is Simón Bolívar? (El Libertador)
This Argentinian general was the primary military leader responsible for liberating the Southern Cone.
Who is Don José de San Martín?
This Catholic priest initiated the Mexican War of Independence with his famous public call to arms.
Who is Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla?
This French document, which established individual rights protected by law, posed a direct threat to King Louis XVI.
What is the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?
This brilliant military planner organized untrained rebels into a disciplined army and was often compared to George Washington.
Who is Toussaint Louverture?
This ruthless leader of the llaneros (cowboys), nicknamed the "Asturian Tiger," defeated Bolívar at the Battle of La Puerta.
Who is José Tomás Boves?
This Chilean military leader became the supreme dictator of Chile for six years after it gained independence.
Who is Don Bernardo O’Higgins?
This specific 1810 public declaration started Mexico's 11-year war for independence.
What is the Grito de Dolores?
To control and use them against the Pope, Napoleon placed this secret fraternity under his imperial protection.
What is Freemasonry?
Haiti made history by becoming the world's first independent republic of this demographic.
What is the first independent Black republic?
In this famous 1816 letter written from exile, Bolívar outlined his massive vision for liberty across the Americas.
What is La Carta de Jamaica? (The Jamaica Letter)
San Martín caught Spanish forces by surprise in 1817 by marching his army across this massive mountain range.
What are the Andes? (Cordillera of the Andes)
The Portuguese royal family fled to Rio de Janeiro in 1807 to escape an invasion by this European leader.
Who is Napoleon Bonaparte?
This French king was overthrown by his people during the French Revolution.
Who is King Louis XVI?
This leader took over after Louverture's capture, defeated the French army, and declared independence on January 1, 1804.
Who is Jean-Jacques Dessalines?
This large republic, created by Bolívar, eventually collapsed and split into Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
What is La Gran Colombia?
San Martín won independence for both Argentina and Chile in this historic 1817 battle.
What is the Battle of Chacabuco?
This single political entity under Spanish rule originally governed most of Central America, including Guatemala and El Salvador.
What is the Captaincy General of Guatemala?
These three Enlightenment thinkers deeply influenced revolutionary acts by questioning France's absolute monarchy and estate system.
Who are John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Baron de Montesquieu?
In exchange for military aid, Haiti's president made Simón Bolívar promise to do this in all conquered lands.
What is free all enslaved people?
Bolívar secured Venezuela's independence by winning this major battle in 1821.
What is the Battle of Carabobo?
San Martín and Bolívar met at this famous 1822 conference in Ecuador to discuss the final push against the Spanish military.
What is the Guayaquil Conference?
Prince Pedro defied the Portuguese parliament and chose to stay in Brazil during this famously named speech.
What is the "Fico" speech? (or "I Shall Stay Day")