State · 1808–1826

Latin American independence

Pampa de Ayacucho (Quinua), Peru

Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1808 broke the authority of the Spanish Crown, and from 1810 juntas and revolts across Spanish America turned into wars of independence. Simón Bolívar led what are now Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Bolivia to independence and José de San Martín led the armies of the south, until Antonio José de Sucre's victory at Ayacucho on 9 December 1824 secured the independence of Peru and the rest of Spanish South America.

Mexico's war (1810–1821) ended in independence, and Brazil declared independence from Portugal on 7 September 1822.

See it on the map →