3 - The independence of Spanish South America

Summary

The independence movement of Spanish South America has long been a favourite topic among conservative historians while attracting rather few innovative scholars either in Latin America or in other countries. Nevertheless, thanks to the efforts of both traditional academicians and official agencies, the student of the period has available an unusually wide array of printed source collections. These range from the classic and misleadingly titled Memorias del general O’Leary (Caracas, 1879–88; re-ed., with index volumes, Caracas, 1981), only three of whose 32 volumes are in fact devoted to the memoirs of Bolívar’s Irish aide, Daniel F. O’Leary, to the more recent Colección documental de la independencia del Perú (Lima, 1971 – 77), which is an assortment of official documents, newspapers of the period, writings of ‘ideologues’, memoirs and travel accounts. A gratifying number of newspapers have also been reprinted in their own right, of which perhaps the most important examples are the Gaceta de Buenos Aires, 6 vols. (Buenos Aires, 1910–15) and Gaceta de Colombia, 5 vols. (Bogotá, 1973–5), each spanning roughly a decade. Every country except Paraguay, Bolivia and Ecuador has produced one or more major source compilations, and even they have some lesser ones.