Like Britain's American colonies, the provinces of Spain's Viceroyalty de la Plata (encompassing present-day Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) bridled under the oppressive economic policies of a distant master. But when in May 1810, the Argentine provinces declared themselves autonomous, their initial motivation was very different from that of their North American counterparts. The occasion was Napoleon's invasion of Spain, and his deposition of King Ferdinand VII. Ousting their Spanish governor, or viceroy -- whom they regarded as a puppet of Napoleon's revolutionary regime -- the militia of Buenos Aires installed a junta loyal to their deposed king. Ironically, the provinces declared formal independence on July 9, 1816 only after the restored Ferdinand rejected the junta's claim to self-governance.
photo: Library of Congress
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A 16th century Spanish map of Río de la Plata. The exaggeration of the river and its tributaries reflects the colony's early appeal as a commercial port.
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