New Granada Revolution
Short term and Long term Causes
Long term:
Long term causes for the New Granada Revolution include Political, Environmental, and Social grievances. Creoles (american born spaniards) were not allowed to be top political rulers in their respective home countries because the only ones allowed to rule were peninsulares (spanish born spaniards). This political and social injustice really angered the creole class of New Granada which in long term was their reason for revolt. Throughout the land there were several mines that were worked mostly by natives in near slave conditions. The mines produced tons of pollution which in turned ruined the land, as well as the extremely difficult labor to dig out the gold and silver which would then all go to Spain. New Granada being a Spanish colony was under Spanish mercantilism, and like all other colonies under mercantilism at the time they were extremely unhappy with the amount of taxes they had to pay and the severely limited areas of economic growth outside of cash crops. All of these brought together the high elite creole class and the lower classes in long term to fight the revolution.
Short Term/ Spark:
The short term and spark causes of the New Granada revolution were political and Social. Before the revolution, France had invaded spain and set up a new government in spain appointing napoleon's brother as the king. During this change in government the rule over the Spanish colonies became sloppy and the people viewed Spain as weakened, so they took their opportunity and revolted. Leader of the revolution Simon Bolivar had been to europe for formal military training, during his time in Europe Bolivar read many of the Enlightenment thinkers books and ideas and brought them them back to New Granada with him. The people of New Granada used these ideas as inspiration for mounting the revolution and creating a new government afterwards.
