Latin American Rebels and the United States, 1806-1822 - by Gordon S Brown (Paperback)

About the Book

"Separatist revolts erupted in Spain's American colonies in the early 1800s. Opinion in the United States was undecided as to what position to take. U.S. strategic interests during the Napoleonic Wars dictated a policy of neutrality. Rebel agents and Spanish diplomat-spies vied behind the scenes for U.S. assets. The U.S. inadvertently became involved in their revolutionary struggle"--

Book Synopsis

When separatist revolts erupted in Spain's American colonies in the early 1800s, opinion in the United States was undecided as to what position to take. Proximity and America's own anti-colonial ethos favored sympathy with the rebel cause, yet U.S. strategic interests during the tumultuous Napoleonic Wars dictated a policy of neutrality.

When representatives of the rebel provinces came to the U.S. seeking support, arms or recognition, and even launched armed assaults on Spanish territory and shipping from U.S. soil, American opinion split sharply. Should the untested rebel regimes be officially recognized or should the U.S. protect its crucial neutrality? As rebel agents and Spanish diplomat-spies vied behind the scenes for U.S. political and military assets, it became clear that the U.S. had inadvertently become involved in Spanish America's revolutionary struggle.

Review Quotes

"[Brown] capably lays out key narratives in this international side of the Latin American revolutions. Brown accomplishes his task skillfully and provides an accessible read for undergraduates and interested scholars alike."-H-Net Reviews

"This is a lively study of a unique juncture in American history that is not often addressed by modern historians"-The Foreign Service Journal

"This study investigates the U.S. response to independence movements in Mexico and South America during the early decades of the 19th century, revealing the pressures put on America's policy of neutrality as a result of the arrival in the U.S. of refugees and activists from the rebellious Spanish colonies. ...A detailed timeline is included."-ProtoView

About the Author

Retired ambassador and diplomat Gordon S. Brown lives in Washington, D.C.