In 1819, Columbia won it's independence from Spain in the Battle of Boyacá. It was a decisive battle that led to the independence of not only Columbia, but the entire region of Northern South America, and in a sense, it may have led to the Monroe Doctrine four years later.
Policy of Neutrality (1818)
After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, France began high-level diplomatic meetings with the four allied powers of Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia to terminate the great wars, close out all claims, and accept France as an equal and full member of the allied powers. These meetings which began in 1817 and met officially in 1818 were known as the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. One of the most pressing topics covered, was the civil wars in South America between Spain and the Spanish provinces. At these meeting, Monroe instructed the Department of State to remain strictly neutral towards the Spanish colonies. The United States would not side with Spain, and against the wishes of Spain would allow it's ports to be open to them.Battle of Boyacá
Just a few years earlier from 1815-1916 King Ferdinand VII sent military forces to retake most of the northern South American Colonies which had recently established themselves as Independent States. But then in 1819, the tide began to turn and the Spanish colonies began to gain some victories in their fight for independence. One of these victories was the liberation of New Granada in the battle of Battle of Boyacá, The Battle of Boyacá was a decisive battle that won Columbia it's independence and is considered to be the beginning of the independence for whole Northern section of South America. On August 7th, 1819 Simón Bolívar led his men to a decisive victory at the Boyacá Bridge about 110 kilometers from Bogotá. This was the capstone victory of an campaign for independence led by Bolivar and his Patriot Army to resist the reconquest of South America by Ferdinand and his military forces. It was a 77 day campaign where the Patriot army had to overcome many difficulties, but in July saw victories at Gámeza and Vargas Swamp. Now at the Boyacá Bridge, the patriot army made up of 2850 creoles assaulted the Royal Army with 2670 men. After six hours of fighting, the Spanish army surrendered and were taken prisoner. Such a decisive battle, was evidence that the progress of the war, as President James Monroe put it, "has operated manifestly in favor of the colonies". Buenos Ayres still maintained it's independence first won in 1816, and on December 17, 1819 The Congress of Angosura declared Gran Columbia to be an independent country. Gran Columbia encompassed present day Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama plus parts of Peru, Guyana and Brazil.Change in Policy?
Just 10 days before the Congress of Agosura, James Monroe hinted in his State of the Union Address that there may be a change coming in the U.S. policy towards South America. It was a signal of a future policy which became known as the Monroe Doctrine."In the civil war existing between Spain and the Spanish Provinces in this hemisphere the greatest care has been taken to enforce the laws intended to preserve an impartial neutrality. Our ports have continued to be equally open to both parties and on the same conditions, and our citizens have been equally restrained from interfering in favor of either to the prejudice of the other. The progress of the war, however has operated manifestly in favor of the colonies. Buenos Ayres still maintains unshaken the independence which it declared in 1816, and has enjoyed since 1810. Like success has also lately attended Chili and the Provinces north of the La Plata bordering on it, and likewise Venezuela."Monroe continued, stating that while a policy of strict neutrality has virtues of it's own, it can not be implemented "without the sensibility and sympathy" to current events. The American people can not help but to see how vitally important these conflicts are to their neighbors. How could the people of the United States not support the colonies in their fight for freedoms. Just like in our own fight for independence, the colonies of South America had at their advantage a parent country that was quite a distance away. At this point, there was no stopping the revolution, the "steadiness, consistency, and success with which they have pursued their object" had won over not only the United States, but other powers as well. The stated policy of the United States was still one of neutrality, but there is no mistaking which side we were on. President Monroe wrote that the writing was on the wall. Monroe explaoined that should the world come to see Spain's efforts to subdue the providences is fruitless, then "the Spanish Government itself will give up the contest". And if this happens, Monroe had no doubt that, the amicable relations between the United States and the colonies, will have played a major role.
"The distance of the colonies from the parent country and the great extent of their population and resources gave them advantages which it was anticipated at a very early period would be difficult for Spain to surmount. The steadiness, consistency, and success with which they have pursued their object, as evinced more particularly by the undisturbed sovereignty which Buenos Ayres has so long enjoyed, evidently give them a strong claim to the favorable consideration of other nations. These sentiments on the part of the United States have not been withheld from other powers, with whom it is desirable to act in concert. Should it become manifest to the world that the efforts of Spain to subdue these Provinces will be fruitless, it may be presumed that the Spanish Government itself will give up the contest. In producing such a determination it can not be doubted that the opinion of friendly powers who have taken no part in the controversy will have their merited influence."
Two years later, in 1821 Monroe gave Congress an update on the struggle of South America for their independence. Columbia had extended it's territories and strength. Peace had returned to Buenos Aires. Monroe was encouraged by these activities, and stated that the United States would promote by "friendly counsel" the independence.
"It is understood that the colonies in South America have had great success during the present year in the struggle for their independence. The new Government of Colombia has extended its territories and considerably augmented its strength, and at Buenos Ayres, where civil dissensions had for some time before prevailed, greater harmony and better order appear to have been established. Equal success has attended their efforts in the Provinces on the Pacific. It has long been manifest that it would be impossible for Spain to reduce these colonies by force, and equally so that no conditions short of their independence would be satisfactory to them. It may therefore be presumed, and it is earnestly hoped, that the Government of Spain, guided by enlightened and liberal councils, will find it to comport with its interests and due to its magnanimity to terminate this exhausting controversy on that basis. To promote this result by friendly counsel with the Government of Spain will be the object of the Government of the United States."One year late, Monroe began to show some impatience with Spain. There was a strong hope that by now ("ere" meaning soon) there would be peace between Spain and the "independent governments south of the United States". Monroe thought for sure, that recognition of the independence governments by the United States would carry some weight with Spain. Yet, Spain had not yet given up it's imperial notions in the Southern Hemisphere. Monroe was impatient, but did not lose all hope.
"A strong hope was entertained that peace would ere this have been concluded between Spain and the independent governments south of the United States in this hemisphere. Long experience having evinced the competency of those governments to maintain the independence which they had declared, it was presumed that the considerations which induced their recognition by the United States would have had equal weight with other powers, and that Spain herself, yielding to those magnanimous feelings of which her history furnishes so many examples, would have terminated on that basis a controversy so unavailing and at the same time so destructive. We still cherish the hope that this result will not long be postponed."Monroe also, gave a warning to both Spain and the colonies, that the United States would remain neutral, and expected treatment as such.
"Sustaining our neutral position and allowing to each party while the war continues equal rights, it is incumbent on the United States to claim of each with equal rigor the faithful observance of our rights according to the well-known law of nations. From each, therefore, a like cooperation is expected in the suppression of the piratical practice which has grown out of this war and of blockades of extensive coasts on both seas, which, considering the small force employed to sustain them, have not the slightest foundation to rest on."And finally in 1823, President Monroe declared that any further attempt by European nations to interfere with an independent state in North or South America would be viewed as "the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States" (Monroe Doctrine 1823)
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29461
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29463
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29464
http://www.colombia.co/en/this-is-colombia/history/the-battle-of-boyaca-the-decisive-feat-for-colombian-independence/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Colombia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Spanish_American_wars_of_independence
http://www.colombia.co/en/this-is-colombia/history/the-battle-of-boyaca-the-decisive-feat-for-colombian-independence/
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Batalla_de_Boyaca_de_Martin_Tovar_y_Tovar.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Doctrine
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