JAMAICA LETTER: BACKGROUND, CHARACTERISTICS, OBJECTIVES, CONSEQUENCES - HISTORY - 2025

The Jamaica Charter was a document written by Simón Bolívar, father of South American independence. The Liberator wrote this letter in September 1815, when he was in Kingston, the Jamaican capital, after having had to leave the continent after a defeat against royalist troops.

The letter was written in response to the interest shown by the British merchant Henry Cullen in the independence movements in the Spanish colonies in America. Specifically, Cullen had previously asked about the situation in each of the territories.

Letter from Jamaica - Source: ANDES News Agency

Bolívar's answer, entitled by himself with the name Answer by a South American to a gentleman from this island, was a complete description of many aspects of the struggle for independence, as well as of the specific characteristics of each colony. According to historians, the Liberator sought the support of Great Britain for the cause.

Bolívar also made a series of forecasts about the future of the countries that emerged from the independence processes. Although he always bet on the creation of a single nation, he recognized the difficulties for his wish to come true. The entire content of the letter was strongly influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment.

Background

Although rebellions against Spanish colonial authorities had not been uncommon, the Bourbon Reforms enacted in the 18th century caused much rejection in the American viceroyalties.

The measures taken by the Spanish kings, especially Carlos III, affected the Creole elites. From that moment on, the members of this group saw that their access to important positions in the administration was prohibited, while those born in Spain were favored.

The rise in taxes and the obligation to trade only with the metropolis were other factors that increased the rejection.

Part of the Creoles, especially the most enlightened, began to consider independence as a solution.

Supreme Boards

The Napoleonic invasion of Spain caused a change in the throne. The Spanish kings abdicated in May 1808 and José Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother) became monarch. When the news reached the American colonies, the rejection was absolute.

The reaction, both in Spain and in the colonies, was the creation of Supreme Boards to govern in the name of Fernando VII, whom they considered the legitimate king. One of the most important in the peninsula was the Central Supreme Board of Seville, while America highlighted that of Quito.

At first, the American boards declared independence, although under the sovereignty of King Fernando VII. However, this claim soon began to turn into a real struggle for total independence.

Ultimate break

At the beginning of 1814 the final rupture between Spain and its colonies was consummated. Fernando VII, who had regained the throne, abolished the Constitution of 1812, which was liberal in nature and established an egalitarian relationship between the metropolis and the territories of his empire.

The monarch intended to reinstate absolutism and return to the colonial order prior to 1808. To try to end the independence declared by some territories, Fernando VII sent an army. It reached the mainland in early 1815, landing near Caracas.

In a short time, the royalist troops regained control of Venezuela, first, and New Granada, later. Simón Bolívar had to flee Cartagena de Indias and go into exile in Jamaica, then a British colony.

Simon Bolivar

When he wrote the letter, Bolívar had been fighting for three years to achieve independence. After the Cartagena Manifesto, on December 15, 1812, he had achieved important victories. In 1813, he had led the so-called Admirable Campaign until he took Caracas and tried to re-found the republic.

However, his defeat in front of the royalist troops, in 1814, forced the Liberator to return to New Granada. His intention was to reorganize his forces to repeat his previous military success, but discrepancies among his supporters prevented him from doing so.

Bolívar then had to go into exile. His destination was Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, where he arrived aboard the ship La Decouverte on May 14, 1815.

The Liberator explained the reasons for his decision to leave New Granada: “If I stayed here, New Granada would be divided into parties and the domestic war would be eternal. By retiring, there will be no other party than that of the Homeland, and with always being one, it will be the best.

Ideological context

Bolívar had begun to study the enlightened ideas of the time of the French Revolution. Like a good part of the Creole elite, he knew the theories about the social contract and natural law, something that is reflected in all his writings.

According to his biographers, Bolívar's favorite author was Montesquieu, one of the most important philosophers of the Enlightenment. In his work, for example, there is a need for the three powers of the State (judicial, legislative and executive) to be independent from each other.

Characteristics of the Jamaica menu

Letter from Jamaica via Andes Agency.

The title that Bolívar gave to the Letter from Jamaica was Reply from a South American to a gentleman from this island. Its recipient, the aforementioned gentleman, was Henry Cullen, an island merchant of British origin. The letter was a response to Cullen's interest in knowing the situation of the Spanish colonies and their independence movements.

However, beyond responding to Cullen's curiosity, the fundamental purpose of the letter was to try to enlist the support of Great Britain. This power had adopted a good part of the liberal ideas and, in addition, it was competing directly with Spain to increase its power.

Influence of illustration

As noted, the ideas in the illustration are the basis of the content of the Jamaica Charter. Bolívar included some concepts created by Montesquieu, such as the term "oriental despotism" to refer to the Spanish Empire.

Motivations

At first, the independence movement in Venezuela had made important progress. However, the response of the Spanish Crown forced the withdrawal of Bolívar and his followers.

The Spanish military power led Bolívar to seek external support. Great Britain, as Spain's historical rival and liberal nation, was one of the Liberator's targets. According to experts, the Jamaica Charter was one of the ways to publicize their struggle and try to get the British to become allies.

Knowledge

One of the most outstanding characteristics of the Jamaica Charter is the detailed description of the society, politics and economy of the different colonial territories. This demonstrates the great knowledge acquired by Bolívar about the reality of those lands.

In the economic sphere, Bolívar also showed his training on liberalism. This system was being imposed in Europe on mercantilism.

Given this, Bolívar was betting on a Central America converted into a common economic space that could become a commercial bridge between Asia and Europe.

goals

As noted, the Jamaica Letter was Bolívar's response to questions about the independence movements made by Henry Cullen. However, the main goal was to get Britain to support his cause.

In addition, throughout the writing another of Bolívar's central ideas is reflected: the union of all the American countries.

Reflection on the desire for liberation of the American continent

The Jamaica Charter is considered by many historians as one of the founding documents of the independence of the American colonies.

Among the objectives of this writing is to make explicit the breaking of the ties that still existed with the Spanish Empire. This was qualified as a source of oppression for the American people.

According to what Bolívar expressed in the letter, Spain had broken the social contract between the Crown and the American people. El Libertador pointed out that the discrimination of the local population against those born in the metropolis was a clear violation of said contract.

In addition, Bolívar also accused the Spanish of having exercised cruel repression against the American independentists, even during the reign of José Bonaparte. From that moment, according to the Liberator, Spain stopped being the “mother country” to become a “stepmother”.

Identity of the new nations

Although Bolívar's objective was to create a single state that encompasses the colonial territories, in his writing he declared the need for each future nation to choose its own system of government. In this regard, he stressed that they should respect the rights of man and recognize all races

Mestizaje as a reality in Latin American peoples also had a place in the letter written by Bolívar. For him, this new “middle species” should have rights as “legitimate owners of the country”.

I ntegration of Latin American nations

From the aforementioned diversity, Bolívar always bet on the unity of the American countries. However, when he wrote the Jamaica Charter, he was aware of the impossibility of such a union, but because of the different realities that existed in each territory.

Seeking European support

The search for support from European powers, especially Great Britain, is clear from the letter:

«Europe would do Spain well to dissuade her from her obstinate recklessness…. Europe itself, for the sake of sound politics, should have prepared and executed the project of American Independence; not only because the balance of the world requires it, but because this is the legitimate and safe means of acquiring overseas commercial establishments ”.

Consequences

Although the British offered support to the independence cause, Bolívar had already obtained the collaboration of Haiti.

Improving the morale of the emancipatory movement

After the Spanish counterattack, the morale of the independence movement had dropped dramatically. Furthermore, serious internal discrepancies had appeared.

Bolívar's letter served to improve the spirits of his supporters. The assurance that he expressed in his writing was a shock to his cause.

Neutralized the effects of realistic propaganda

Another consequence of the Jamaica Charter was to counteract Spanish efforts to defend their colonial rights. Bolívar made a harsh criticism of the Spanish colonial administration and claimed that the Crown was unable to maintain its rule.

Among other aspects, Bolívar denounced the Spanish mistreatment of indigenous people, in addition to the repression against supporters of independence.

Ideological basis of the Amphictyonic Congress of Panama

Eleven years after Bolívar drafted the Jamaica Charter, the so-called Amphictyonic Congress was held in Panama. This assembly was called by the Liberator himself with the aim of making one of his main projects a reality: the unification of the former Spanish colonies into a confederation.

References

1. Simon Bolivar. Letter from Jamaica. Recovered from elhistoriador.com.ar
2. Polar Companies Foundation. Letter from Jamaica. Obtained from bibliofep.fundacionempresaspolar.org
3. Editorial Panorama Cultural. Simón Bolívar's letter from Jamaica. Obtained from panoramacultural.com.co
4. Straussmann Masur, Gerhard. Simon Bolivar. Retrieved from britannica.com
5. Brown University Library. Document # 1: “Letter from Jamaica,” Simón Bolívar (1815). Retrieved from library.brown.edu
6. Núñez Faraco, Humberto R. The entanglements of freedom: Simón Bolívar's Jamaica Letter and its socio-political context (1810–1819). Recovered from discovery.ucl.ac.uk
7. Kids Encyclopedia Facts. Simón Bolívar facts for kids. Retrieved from kids.kiddle.co