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mostly pro-free trade, and Spanish-born
traditionalists, who defended Spain's
monopoly. International events sharpened
differences. Wars in North America and
Europe saw Great Britain enforce blockades
of the Atlantic, disrupting connections
between metropole and colonies. With
Spanish ships unable to reach the
viceroyalty, illegal trade with non-Spanish
merchants grew, prompting increasing calls
from criollos for a loosening of Crown ties.
At the same time, the defeat of invading
British troops in 1806 and 1807 by Buenos
Aires militia forces increased the capital's
confidence in its ability to stand alone.
Detail, Fortuny's Congress of Tucumán , picturing the Declaration
of Independence of Argentina from Spain in 1816
provincial strongmen who led militia forces
into battle against the capital. In 1826, a
pause in hostilities saw Unitarist Bernardino
Rivadavia become the first president of an
independent Argentina, but within a year
fighting had recommenced. The struggle
finally ended in 1835 with the surrender of
all political power to Juan Manuel de Rosas.
End of Colonial Rule
The overthrow of Bourbon Spain by
Napoleon's France in 1808 provoked a final
collapse in Crown authority. In the 1810
Revolución de Mayo, criollos stripped the
Spanish Viceroy of office; in 1816, after an
armed struggle led by General José de San
Martín, the United Provinces of the River
Plate, Argentina's direct forerunner, declared
Independence. In their own push for sepa-
ration, Upper Peru and Paraguay became
independent rather than remain part of the
former viceroyalty.
Despite Independence, little political
harmony existed among the new country's
different provinces. Civil war broke out
between Unitarists, urbanites who sought
to maintain Buenos Aires's authority over
the River Plate region, and Federalists, rura-
lists who desired a decentralized national
govern ment with greater pro vin cial auto-
nomy. War ravaged the country for two
decades and led to the rise of caudillos ,
The Rosas Dictatorship
Federalist by convenience, Rosas had
become governor of Buenos Aires in 1829.
Sharing the Unitarists' belief in a strong
central government, he transformed his
Buenos Aires regime into a de facto
national government with hegemonic
power over the other provinces. Dissent
was silenced by censorship and repression
by the mazorca , Rosas's political police. By
the end of his rule the country was an iso-
lated and economically backward country.
His brutality had, however, forged national
unity - Unitarists and Federalists united to
overthrow him in 1852 at Monte Caseros,
which allowed for a period of reform and
the creation of a functioning, unified state.
Confederation of Argentina's shield
1768 Spanish
Crown orders
expulsion of Jesuits
1826 Rivadavia becomes first
president of Argentina
King Philip V,
first ruler of the
Bourbon
dynasty
1816 Congress of Tucumán
declares Independence
1710
1750
1790
1830
1713 War of
Spanish
Succession
ends
1752 Buenos Aires
organizes militia to
counter native
population threat
1776 Viceroyalty of
the Río de la Plata
established. Buenos
Aires named capital
1806-7 Buenos Aires
militia army twice
defeats British
invasion forces
1816 San Martín
defeats Spanish
at Battle of
Maipú
1835-52 Rosas
dicta torship
 
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