Editing 1810s (section)

===Spanish American wars of independence===
{{Main|Spanish American wars of independence}}

Spain in the 1810s was a country in turmoil. Occupied by [[Napoleon Bonaparte|Napoleon]] from 1808 to 1814, a massively destructive "[[Peninsular War|war of independence]]" ensued, driven by an emergent Spanish [[nationalism]]. Already in 1810, the [[Caracas]] and [[Buenos Aires]] juntas declared their independence from the Bonapartist government in Spain and sent ambassadors to the United Kingdom. [[Colombia]], once become part of [[Viceroyalty of New Granada|New Granada]] became the first Spanish colony in [[South America]] to declare independence from [[Spain]] on 20 July 1810 as the third oldest independent republic in the [[New World]] after [[Haiti]] and the [[United States]]. The British [[blockade]] against Spain had also moved most of the Latin American colonies out of the Spanish economic sphere and into the British sphere, with whom extensive trade relations were developed. The remaining Spanish colonies had operated with virtual independence from Madrid after their pronouncement against Joseph Bonaparte.

The Spanish government in exile ([[Cortes of Cádiz]]) created the first modern [[Spanish Constitution of 1812|Spanish constitution]]. Even so, agreements made at the [[Congress of Vienna]] (where Spain was represented by [[Pedro Gómez Labrador, Marquis of Labrador]]) would cement international support for the old, [[Absolute monarchy|absolutist]] regime in Spain.

King [[Ferdinand VII of Spain|Ferdinand VII]], who assumed the throne after Napoleon was driven out of Spain, refused to agree to the [[liberalism|liberal]] [[Spanish Constitution of 1812]] on his accession to the throne in 1814.  The [[Spanish Empire]] in the New World had largely supported the cause of Ferdinand VII over the Bonapartist pretender to the throne in the midst of the [[Napoleonic Wars]].  When Ferdinand's rule was restored, these juntas were cautious of abandoning their autonomy, and an alliance between local elites, merchant interests, nationalists, and liberals opposed to the abrogation of the Constitution of 1812 rose up against the Spanish in the New World.

[[File:Battle of Chacabuco.jpg|thumb|The victory of General [[José de San Martín]] over Spanish forces at the [[Battle of Chacabuco]], 12 February 1817]]

The arrival of Spanish forces in the American colonies began in 1814, and was briefly successful in restoring central control over large parts of the Empire. [[Simón Bolívar]], the leader of revolutionary forces in [[Viceroyalty of New Granada|New Granada]], was briefly forced into exile in British-controlled [[Jamaica]], and independent [[Haiti]]. In 1816, however, Bolivar found enough popular support that he was able to return to South America, and in a daring march from Venezuela to New Granada ([[Colombia]]), he defeated Spanish forces at the [[Battle of Boyacá]] in 1819, ending Spanish rule in Colombia. [[Venezuela]] was liberated June 24, 1821, when Bolivar destroyed the Spanish army on the fields of Carabobo on the Battle of Carabobo. [[Argentina]] declared its independence in 1816 (though it had been operating with virtual independence as a British client since 1807 after successfully [[British invasions of the River Plate|resisting a British invasion]]). [[Chile]] was retaken by Spain in 1814, but lost permanently in 1817 when an army under [[José de San Martín]], for the first time in history, crossed the [[Andes Mountains]] from Argentina to Chile, and went on to defeat Spanish royalist forces at the [[Battle of Chacabuco]] in 1817.

Spain would also lose [[Florida]] to the United States during this decade.  First, in 1810, the [[West Florida|Republic of West Florida]] declared its independence from Spain, and was quickly annexed by the United States.  Later, in 1818, the United States invaded Florida, resulting in the [[Adams-Onís Treaty]], wherein Spain ceded the rest of Florida to the United States.

In 1820, [[Mexico]], [[Peru]], [[Ecuador]], and [[Central America]] still remained under Spanish control.  Although [[Mexico]] had been in revolt in 1811 under [[Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla]], resistance to Spanish rule had largely been confined to small [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] bands in the countryside.  King Ferdinand was still dissatisfied with the loss of so much of the Empire and resolved to retake it.  A large expedition was assembled in [[Cadiz]] with the aim of reconquest. However, Ferdinand's plans would be disrupted by [[Trienio Liberal|Liberal Revolution]], and Ferdinand was eventually forced to give up all of the New World colonies, except for [[Cuba]] and [[Puerto Rico]].