Changes

===South America===

===South America===

In the Spanish colonies, creoles (pronounced KREE-oles, and people born in the colonies to European parents) were leading revolutions to gain independence from their Spanish rulers.  Creole Generals Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin led Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina to independence.  Bernardo O’Higgins led Chile to freedom in 1818 and is viewed as a hero to this day there.  Bolivar freed other colonies from Spanish rule at the Battle of Ayacucho in 1824, and attempted to establish the unified nations of “Gran Colombia” and “United Provinces of Central America”, but both collapsed after only a few years.  

In the Spanish colonies, creoles (pronounced KREE-oles, who were people born in the colonies to European settlers) were leading revolutions to gain independence from their Spanish rulers.  Creole Generals Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin led Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina to independence.  Bernardo O’Higgins led Chile to freedom in 1818 and is viewed as a hero to this day there.  Bolivar freed other colonies from Spanish rule at the Battle of Ayacucho in 1824, and attempted to establish the unified nations of “Gran Colombia” and “United Provinces of Central America,” but both collapsed after only a few years.  

Brazil won its independence in a peaceful manner.  It was a colony of Portugal, and when Napoleon invaded Spain and Portugal in 1807, the family of the Portuguese monarch fled to Brazil.  Prince John, the future King John VI, declared the large Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro to be the capital of both Brazil and Portugal.  In 1822, after the defeat of Napoleon and the return of King John VI to Portugal, the creoles (people of European descent born in the colonies) demanded independence for Brazil.  King John declared his son Dom Pedro as ruler of the newly independent Brazil.  Brazil was thereby the only Latin American country to be ruled by a king after it gained its independence.

Brazil won its independence in a peaceful manner.  It was a colony of Portugal, and when Napoleon invaded Spain and Portugal in 1807, the family of the Portuguese monarch fled to Brazil.  Prince John, the future King John VI, declared the large Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro to be the capital of both Brazil and Portugal.  In 1822, after the defeat of Napoleon and the return of King John VI to Portugal, the creoles (people of European descent born in the colonies) demanded independence for Brazil.  King John declared his son Dom Pedro as ruler of the newly independent Brazil.  Brazil was thereby the only Latin American country to be ruled by a king after it gained its independence.

When the French left Mexico in 1867, Juarez was followed by dictator Porfirio Diaz, of Indian descent, who encouraged building projects and economic growth but unsuccessfully distributed land and failed to resolve problems among the working class such as low wages.  Diaz found opposition in Francisco Madero, who founded the “Anti-Reelection Party” and was a firm supporter of democracy.  Madero called for an uprising in 1910, marking the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, which lasted until 1917.  Other prominent figures of the Mexican Revolution included cowboy Francisco “Pancho” Villa, and peasant leader Emiliano Zapata.  Control of Mexico often changed hands and many were assassinated, including Madero, who was then replaced by Diaz’s ally General Victoriano Huerta, who then fled and was replaced by Venustiano Carranza.  Carranza met his downfall after tricking and killing Emiliano Zapata in 1919, which turned everyone against Carranza.  He attempted to flee Mexico, but was killed.  These events marked the end of the Mexican Revolution.   

When the French left Mexico in 1867, Juarez was followed by dictator Porfirio Diaz, of Indian descent, who encouraged building projects and economic growth but unsuccessfully distributed land and failed to resolve problems among the working class such as low wages.  Diaz found opposition in Francisco Madero, who founded the “Anti-Reelection Party” and was a firm supporter of democracy.  Madero called for an uprising in 1910, marking the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, which lasted until 1917.  Other prominent figures of the Mexican Revolution included cowboy Francisco “Pancho” Villa, and peasant leader Emiliano Zapata.  Control of Mexico often changed hands and many were assassinated, including Madero, who was then replaced by Diaz’s ally General Victoriano Huerta, who then fled and was replaced by Venustiano Carranza.  Carranza met his downfall after tricking and killing Emiliano Zapata in 1919, which turned everyone against Carranza.  He attempted to flee Mexico, but was killed.  These events marked the end of the Mexican Revolution.   

A Mexican constitution was established as a result of the Revolution, which increased the rights of workers and in some cases the rights of women, and strengthened the land redistribution system.  In 1920, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (in Spanish, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional or PRI) was organized.  It came to power in 1929 and was the most prominent party in Mexico for the next century.  The IRP gave politicians in Mexico City control, and many of the Mexican constitutional provisions were disregarded by PRI presidents.

A Mexican constitution was established as a result of the Revolution, which increased the rights of workers and in some cases the rights of women, and strengthened the land redistribution system.  In 1920, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (in Spanish, the Partido Revolucionario Institucional or PRI) was organized.  It came to power in 1929 and was the most prominent party in Mexico for the remainder of the 20th century.  The IRP gave politicians in Mexico City control, and many of the Mexican constitutional provisions were disregarded by PRI presidents.

===China===

===China===