Notes on the History of Argentine Independence by Charles W. Whittemore (1920)
Charles W. Whittemore’s Notes on the History of Argentine Independence is a compact, insightful 44-page historical essay that reads like a concise lecture delivered to the American Club of Buenos Aires on February 6, 1920. Originally published as a paper, it traces the roots and unfolding of the May Revolution of 1810 through to the formal declaration of independence at Tucumán in 1816, with emphasis on the western and northern marches that ultimately secured victory in Upper Perú (modern Bolivia).
Whittemore, a writer whose background as a transcriber and historian suggests deep interest in early South American affairs, frames Argentine independence not as a sudden event but as the culmination of 200 years of geographic, economic, and social evolution under Spanish rule.
The book with a compelling “Refoundation” narrative: settlements in the River Plate began moving east and south from Perú, reversing the northward colonial expansion. This sets the stage for Argentina’s distinctive colonial character.
Unlike the feudal systems of Perú and Mexico, Argentine colonization absorbed Indian populations through relatively minimal oppression. Native sons became the backbone of settlements, leading expeditions and founding colonies—planting “seeds of eventual freedom” from the outset. Population was sparse (under 500,000 in 1776, including slaves and tame Indians), but the structure fostered democratic instincts amid isolation.
Economic grievances receive central attention. Spain’s monopolistic trade routes inflated Buenos Aires’ costs by 500–600 percent, sparking contraband and smuggling aided by British and Portuguese interests. The 1776 creation of the Viceroyalty of the River Plate—intended to curb discontent and Portuguese threats—stimulated internal commerce in wines, yerba mate, and textiles, transforming Buenos Aires into a bustling marketplace. A Spanish observer noted the creoles’ “great idea of their equality with the Europeans” and their “aversion… towards the Spanish Government.”
Whittemore quotes historian Bartolomé Mitre on the “embryonic body-politic” laced with colonial vices: deserts, sloth, ignorance, and weak cohesion. Yet the clergy’s relative weakness (lacking hierarchy or prestige) made it revolutionary when the colony rose.
The English invasions of 1806–1807 serve as pivotal catalysts rather than causes. The “Conquista” (June 1806) and “Reconquista” (August 1806) exposed Spanish disarray; local leaders like Santiago de Liniers seized power. The 1807 “Defensa” under Liniers repelled a larger British force, fostering public conviction that unrestricted trade and independence were viable. Whittemore details battles, proclamations, and the establishment of a popular Congress, highlighting Liniers’ leadership.
The book is short just 45 pages