Four Main Causes of Latin American Independence During colonization of the New World in the early sixteenth century, explorers sought fame and fortune in the wilds of Central and South America. Two countries stand out as key players in the colonization of that area; Spain and Portugal. Several colonies were established to mine gold and to export the native flora. There are several reasons that the Latin American colonies became independent. The main reason is …showed first 75 words of 814 total…

…showed last 75 words of 814 total…are four main reasons that the colonies in Latin America earned their independence. For one thing, the distance between Spain and her colonies was so great, that the cost of garrisoning soldiers and supplying munitions outweighed the value of the colonies. For another, the people of Latin America became totally different socially than their European counterparts. It is much easier to assume that the Europeans could become distant and underapreciative to their South American counterparts.