Independence of COLOMBIA: causes and consequences

The Spanish American wars of independence were one of the most important moments in the history of mankind, since of these conflicts that took place between 1808 and 1833 were born most of the American nations that we know in the present. To talk about the independence process of one of these countries in this lesson from a PROFESSOR we must talk about the causes and consequences of the independence of Colombia.

To understand the reasoning that led the colonial settlers to begin an independence process against the Spanish administration, we must talk about the causes that led to this movement. We must understand that the process of independence of Colombia is encompassed in the independence of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, which was formed by current nations such as Colombia, Venezuela or Ecuador, and therefore the three processes coincide in most causes. The causes of the independence of Colombia were the following.

The new ideals from Europe

In Europe the Illustration and the French Revolution

, being two movements marked by a series of clear ideals centered on the freedom and equality of all individuals and therefore that a region did not have to be controlled by a metropolis and a king, but that the people could rule a nation. The thought of European freedom and equality reached the American continent, being one of the reasons for the numerous independence processes.

The example of the United States

At the end of the 18th century, other European colonies such as the 13 colonies, located in the North American area, had initiated a war of independence against the United Kingdom supporting its ideals in the Enlightenment. From this war a new nation known as the United States had been born, which, being a colony American independence served as a great example to all viceroyalties of the possibility of become independent.

The situation in Spain

Spain had almost a century of a economic, social and political crisis due to the numerous changes of king and wars that he had suffered, being one of the reasons why from the viceroyalties every day it was seen as weaker to what had been the greatest empire in history. With the Napoleon's arrival to power in France, Spain had become one of her greatest allies, but the weakness of the Spanish king had made Napoleon end up breaking relations and occupying the nation peninsular. The figure of King Ferdinand VII was in a bad situation, and it was then that an organization for independence was started from the colonies.

The Government Boards

After Napoleon's conquest in Spain, government boards had been started throughout the region, as a way of creating patriotic democratic governments to fight the Napoleonic invasion. In some colonies, New Granada being a clear example, this model was followed to create a form of government and help from the colony. But the strange case was that of the Junta de Quito, who instead of supporting the metropolis created the junta to become independent and establish a division between Peru and New Granada.

The crisis in Colombia

As happened in all the colonies of the world, the inhabitants of these were very unhappy with the way in which they were treated with respect to the metropolises, since they considered that those born in Spain had too many benefits compared to those born in America. The economic crisis caused by the increase in taxes, the corruption of the leaders of the viceroyalty and the exclusion of Creoles and born in Colombia of the rights to govern led to the first independence movements.

Let's talk now about the consequences of the independence of Colombia, that is to say, all the aspects that underwent changes due to the victory of the independentistas in this region.

Gran Colombia Foundation

The most important consequence of victory in the war of independence was the creation of a new nation called Gran Colombia, being a state formed by what we currently know as Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. A few years later, Gran Colombia dissolved, and over the years the nations that we know today were formed.

End of slavery

One of the ideas of the American revolutionaries was to end slavery, since the ideas revolutionary movements came from the concept of equality of all people, and therefore the concept of slave did not it must exist. It was for this reason that one of the first measures of Colombia as an independent region was to abolish slavery in its nation.

Changes in the law and the economy

The new country needed to change both its economic system and the laws related to the sectors. A clear example was the abolition of the prohibition of trade with the United Kingdom created by Spain and the commercial opening to the great world powers. Among the economic changes, the transition to a society based on agriculture, the lowering of taxes or the end of slavery was important.

A new policy

The creation of a new state always causes problems in the formation of the new politics, since having to create a political system from scratch can bring great complications. The difficulty of this action caused great political instability, being the reason why civil revolutions were common.