Latin American Essays: Independence to Modernism

Big Picture

-          Emphasis on national identity

-          Lots of comparison between Europe and Latin America (reflects looking back at Europe and looking forward into Latin American future with some trepidation and some excitement)

Simón Bolívar (Venezuela) – “Carta de Jamaica” (1815/1816)

-          Context: This letter was written in 1815, while Bolívar was in exile in Jamaica, three years after the start of the violent independence movement; didn’t have enough support to continue fighting. He was hoping to reach out to other countries for support. “America stands together because it is abandoned by all other nations”

-          Summary: Analyzes successes in America’s independence movement, and justifies desire for independence. Criticizes Spain and calls for the rest of Europe to be reasonable and help out. Speculates on destiny of the various areas of Latin America. (Fear that it would break apart and fall under tyrannical rule – creepily accurate). Petitions for the union of the countries of the Americas.

-          Focus on national identity

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (Argentina) – Facundo: civilización y barbarie (1845)

-          Work of creative non-fiction that helped to define the parameters for thinking about the region's development, modernization, power, and culture

-          Contrasts civilization and barbarism as seen in early 19th-century Argentina

o   Civilization identified with Europe and Unitarians (against Rosas)

o   Barbarism identified with Latin America and Federalists (supported Rosas)

-          Describes the life of Juan Facundo Quiroga, a gaucho who had terrorized provincial Argentina in the 1820s and 1830s

-          Denounces the tyranny of the Argentine dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas (vision of Rosas as Facundo’s heir)

-          Negative vision of the gaucho (not like Hernández’s Martín Fierro)

Andrés Bello (Venezuela) – “Nuestro ideal: La creación de la cultura americana” (1848)

-          Written for anniversary of the university

-          Neoclassical / Enlightenment influence – idea of importance of education

-          Emphasizes importance of both religion and education as keys to a healthy and happy life

-          Sees Europe and United States as positive examples to imitate