America: spreading freedom even before it was a country

 

Feliz 25 de Mayo! It’s always a holiday in Argentina. Argentina has more holidays than any other country and May has more holidays than any other month – or at least it seems that way. They’ve had lots of revolutions and wars over here, many of which are celebrated in May.

May 25 marks the last day of the May Revolution, which is considered the starting point of the Argentine War of Independence and marks the establishment of Argentina’s very first local government. Thanks to wikipedia, today I learned that Argentina can say thanks to America for its May Revolution and subsequent independence from Spain.

Much like the thirteen American colonies weren't too fond of Britain's rule, Argentina and the other South American Spanish colonies were struggling for independence from their rulers around the same time. Even before the American Revolutionary War broke out, Spain aided and actively supported the American colonies in their struggle for independence from Britain. When we declared our independence from the tea-obsessed British, the Argentines were encouraged and their hopes bolstered to believe that revolution and independence from Spain could be realistic aims. The fact that Spain aided the American colonies in their struggle against Britain weakened the argument that ending one's allegiance to the mother country could be considered a crime.

You’re welcome.

The British are known for their massive colonization around the world. The fact that another country occupied land never stopped the Brits from taking it for their own, which they did when they invaded the (former) Spanish trading ports of Havana and Manila during the Seven Years War. (Side note: Spain later recovered Havana by trading it for Florida with the Brits, and then “re-captured” it before finally selling it to USA). The Spaniards were pretty peeved about their losses and two decades later, they were ready for revenge. Maybe Americans should be thanking the Spanish. Ah, maybe we should just thank them for tapas. yum.

Truth be told, the French Revolution helped to inspire our revolution. But let’s not start thanking the French just yet. They didn’t even find our perp walk of (former) IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn endearing. Can you imagine that.