1811 Independence Movement

The 1811 Independence Movement known in El Salvador as Primer grito de independencia (First Shout of Independence) was the first of a series of revolts in Central America in El Salvador against Spanish colonialism and Guatemalan dependency.

Antecedents

At the beginning of the 19th century, agitation grew in the Central American territories dominated by the Spanish crown. The previous century was dominated by the advocation of ideas for individual freedom. More influential was the American War of Independence and the liberation of the North American colonies and the French Revolution from the 1790s which seeded the restlessness and search for freedom in the Central American territories under dominion of the Spaniards. In the state formally known as the Intendencia de San Salvador (almost the present territory that the whole of El Salvador occupies), many Creoles and other settlers wanted to unsettle the control of the colony from the Guatemalan capital. This was largely due to economic and political reasons in that a greater administrative control within San Salvador independly would reduce the high level of taxes paid to the dominon powers and would raise finance for the colony. The invasion of the troops of Napoleón Bonaparte into Spain and events with Fernando VII created an atmosphere of unrest in Salvador.

Revolt in San Salvador

The insurrectionists organized themselves along with prominent middle class supporters of the independence cause such as doctors and priests who took part in the event. These include doctors such as Santiago José Celis‎ , the Aguilar brothers (Nicholas, Vicente and Manuel) and others like the priest Jose Matías Delgado. Others included Manuel Jose Arce, Juan Manuel Rodriguez and Pedro Pablo Castillo.On November 5 the revolt began in San Salvador. Accounting to tradition, the rebels waited for the signal from the bell tower of the Church of La Merced, but this did not occur on the scheduled time. The rebels later assembled on the town square outside the church where Manuel Jose Arce proclaimed in front of the public: "There is no king, neither Intendant, nor Commander in chief. We only must obey our mayors". The tumult grew until the point that the intendant of the crown Antonio Gutierrez y Ulloa asked that they named to somebody to receive the demands. Manuel Jose Arce was chosen and selected as the leader. Despite this, the insurrectionists took arms and proclaimed total independency of the Spanish crown but were later subdued. Arce would later become president of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1825 to 1829 once independence became a reality.

In the days following in the month of November, the independence movement extended to the cities of Santiago Nonualco, Usulután, Chalatenango, Santa Ana, Tejutla and Cojutepeque. The two other notable revolts that occurred were on 20 December 1811 in Sensuntepeque, and November 24 1811, in the city of Metapán.

uppression and aftermath

Despite the ideology of the purpetrators, the cause was not shared by the city councils of the main parties or districts of the state . Neither San Miguel, nor San Vicente nor Santa Ana accompanied them. Unable to amass support, the rebels decided to negotiate with a delegation sent in from the Guatemalan capital to take control. The new Intendant Colonel Jose de Aycinena, arrived on December 8 with Guatemalan troops and priests to force them to swear obedience to the crown and reclaimed the city. The new government was well received by the majority of the population by Aycinena's policy of understanding and nonconfrontation. However several days later, unrest broke out in Nicaragua where on December 13 uprisings broke out in Leon and on December 22 in Granada but were soon suppressed.

Many involved in the events in El Salvador and Nicaragua were incarcerated but Jose Delgado Matías the priest was taken back with the delegation to Guatemala. In 1813 Delgado was elected a provincial deputy to the council in Guatemala City. He also became director of the Tridentino Seminary there. He was not in El Salvador at the time of the second insurrection in 1814, and did not take part in it. He was elected provincial deputy again in 1820, and on September 15, 1821, he was among those who signed the Act of the Independence of Central America in Guatemala City. On November 28, 1821 he became political chief of the province of San Salvador.

In El Salvador the independence movement and 1811 revolt is officially commemorated on November 5 of every year recognized as the "First Shout for the Independence of Central America".

See also

* 1814 Independence Movement

Bibliography of references

*"Historia de El Salvador Tomo I" (1994), Ministerio de Educación, México D.F. : Comisión Nacional de los Libros de Texto Gratuitos

*Monterrrey, Francisco J., "Historia de El Salvador anotaciones cronológicas 1810-1842" (1977), San Salvador: Editorial Universitaria

* Vidal , Manuel, "Nociones de historia de Centro América" (1961), San Salvador: Editorial Universitaria