Congress of Tucumán
Encyclopedia
The Congress of Tucumán was the representative assembly, initially meeting in Tucumán, that declared the independence
of the United Provinces of South America
(modern-day Argentina
) on July 9, 1816, from the Spanish Empire
.
Following the May Revolution
of 1810, the Viceroyalty of the River Plate had been replaced by the Primera Junta
. The provinces had been moving towards full independence but royalist forces had had success in battle in what was the Viceroyalty of Peru
and were threatening José de San Martín
and Buenos Aires
.
On April 15, 1815, a revolution ended the mandate of Carlos María de Alvear
and called a General Congress. Delegate deputies, each representing 15,000 inhabitants, were sent from all the provinces
to the sessions that started on March 24, 1816. Nevertheless, several territories that until then belonged to the Viceroyalty of the River Plate did not send any delegates: the Banda Oriental
('Eastern Bank', today Uruguay
) that was faithful to Artigas
; Paraguay
, which had already proclaimed its independence; and the provinces of the Gran Chaco
and Mesopotamia
, still fighting the aboriginal resistance
. Representatives of what is now Bolivia
were however present.
The congress was inaugurated in the Tucumán home of Francisca Bazán de Laguna, with 33 deputies, and as had been decided, the presidency of the congress was rotated monthly. Because the congress had freedom to choose the topics to discuss, there were endless discussions.
Voting finally ended on July 9, with the declaration of independence of the country. At the time the president of the Congress was Francisco Narciso de Laprida
, delegate from San Juan Province
. Subsequent discussions centred on the form of government that the young state should have.
The congress continued its work in Buenos Aires in 1817, but it dissolved in 1820 after the Battle of Cepeda
that deepened the differences between Unitarians
and Federals
.
The house where the declaration was made was rebuilt and is now a museum and monument, the House of Tucumán
.
Argentine Declaration of Independence
What today is commonly referred as the Independence of Argentina was declared on July 9, 1816 by the Congress of Tucumán. In reality, the congressmen that were assembled in Tucumán declared the independence of the United Provinces of South America, which is still today one of the legal names of the...
of the United Provinces of South America
United Provinces of South America
The United Provinces of South America was the original name of the state that emerged from the May Revolution and the early developments of the Argentine War of Independence...
(modern-day Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) on July 9, 1816, from the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
.
Following the May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
of 1810, the Viceroyalty of the River Plate had been replaced by the Primera Junta
Primera Junta
The Primera Junta or First Assembly is the most common name given to the first independent government of Argentina. It was created on 25 May 1810, as a result of the events of the May Revolution. The Junta initially had representatives from only Buenos Aires...
. The provinces had been moving towards full independence but royalist forces had had success in battle in what was the Viceroyalty of Peru
Viceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
and were threatening José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
and Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
Carlos María de Alvear
Carlos María de Alvear was an Argentine soldier and statesman, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in 1815....
and called a General Congress. Delegate deputies, each representing 15,000 inhabitants, were sent from all the provinces
Provinces of Argentina
Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city...
to the sessions that started on March 24, 1816. Nevertheless, several territories that until then belonged to the Viceroyalty of the River Plate did not send any delegates: the Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental
The Banda Oriental del Uruguay was the South American territory east of the Uruguay River and north of the Río de la Plata, coinciding approximately with the modern nation of Uruguay, the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul and some parts of Santa Catarina...
('Eastern Bank', today Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
) that was faithful to Artigas
Artigas
Artigas may refer to:* José Gervasio Artigas, a central figure in Uruguay's struggles for independence from Spain and Buenos Aires* Artigas, a town in Uruguay* Artigas Department, a region of Uruguay* A number of ships of the National Navy of Uruguay...
; Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, which had already proclaimed its independence; and the provinces of the Gran Chaco
Gran Chaco
The Gran Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semi-arid lowland region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, where it is connected with the Pantanal region...
and Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia, Argentina
La Mesopotamia, Región Mesopotámica is the humid and verdant area of north-east Argentina, comprising the provinces of Misiones, Entre Ríos and Corrientes. The region called Litoral consists of the Mesopotamia and the provinces of Chaco, Formosa and Santa Fe...
, still fighting the aboriginal resistance
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
. Representatives of what is now Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
were however present.
The congress was inaugurated in the Tucumán home of Francisca Bazán de Laguna, with 33 deputies, and as had been decided, the presidency of the congress was rotated monthly. Because the congress had freedom to choose the topics to discuss, there were endless discussions.
Voting finally ended on July 9, with the declaration of independence of the country. At the time the president of the Congress was Francisco Narciso de Laprida
Francisco Narciso de Laprida
Francisco Narciso de Laprida was an Argentine lawyer and politician. He was a representative for San Juan at the Congress of Tucumán, and its president on July 9, 1816, when the Declaration of Independence of Argentina was declared.Laprida started his studies at the Real Colegio de San Carlos in...
, delegate from San Juan Province
San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
. Subsequent discussions centred on the form of government that the young state should have.
The congress continued its work in Buenos Aires in 1817, but it dissolved in 1820 after the Battle of Cepeda
Battle of Cepeda (1820)
The Battle of Cepeda of 1820 took place on February 1 in Cañada de Cepeda, Santa Fe, Argentina.It was the first major battle that saw Unitarians and Federals as two constituted sides. Federal League Provinces of Santa Fe and Entre Ríos joined forces to topple the 1819 centralist Constitution, and...
that deepened the differences between Unitarians
Unitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
and Federals
Federales (Argentina)
Federales was the name under which the supporters of federalism in Argentina were known, opposing the Unitarios that claimed a centralised government of Buenos Aires Province, with no participation of the other provinces of the custom taxes benefits of the Buenos Aires port...
.
The house where the declaration was made was rebuilt and is now a museum and monument, the House of Tucumán
House of Tucumán
The House of Tucumán is a historical building and museum located in San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina, where an assembly of delegates from several provinces of the country declared independence from Spain on 9 July 1816.Distinguishable by its Solomonic columns...
.
Signatories of the declaration
- Francisco Narciso de LapridaFrancisco Narciso de LapridaFrancisco Narciso de Laprida was an Argentine lawyer and politician. He was a representative for San Juan at the Congress of Tucumán, and its president on July 9, 1816, when the Declaration of Independence of Argentina was declared.Laprida started his studies at the Real Colegio de San Carlos in...
, Deputy for San JuanSan Juan Province (Argentina)San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
, President - Mariano BoedoMariano BoedoMariano Boedo was an Argentine statesman and soldier. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for SaltaSalta ProvinceSalta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
, Vice-president - José Mariano SerranoJosé Mariano SerranoJosé Mariano Serrano was a Bolivian-born statesman and jurist. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán of 9 July 1816 which declared the Independence of the provinces of the River Plate and presided over the assembly that declared the independence of Bolivia.Serrano was born in...
, Deputy for CharcasCharcasCharcas may refer to:* Charcas Province, a province in Potosí Department, Bolivia* Real Audiencia of Charcas, one of six political units of the Viceroyalty of Peru* Charcas, a historical name of Sucre, capital of Bolivia...
(present BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
), Secretary - Juan José PasoJuan José PasoJuan José Paso, was an Argentine politician who participated in the events that started the Argentine War of Independence known as May Revolution of 1810....
, Deputy for Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, Secretary - Dr. Antonio SáenzAntonio SáenzAntonio Sáenz was an Argentine statesman, educator and cleric. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán of July 9, 1816 which declared the Independence of Argentina. He was the first rector of the University of Buenos Aires.Sáenz was born in Buenos Aires...
, Deputy for Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880... - Dr. José DarragueiraJosé DarragueiraJosé Darragueira was a Peruvian-born statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880... - Friar Cayetano José RodríguezCayetano José RodríguezCayetano José Rodríguez was an Argentine cleric, journalist and poet. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán of 9 July 1816 which declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880... - Dr. Pedro MedranoPedro MedranoPedro Medrano was a Uruguayan-born Argentine statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880... - Dr. Manuel Antonio AcevedoManuel Antonio AcevedoManuel Antonio Acevedo was an Argentine statesman, lawyer and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for CatamarcaCatamarca ProvinceCatamarca is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. The province has a population of 334,568 as per the , and covers an area of 102,602 km². Its literacy rate is 95.5%. Neighbouring provinces are : Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, and La Rioja... - Dr. José Ignacio de GorritiJosé Ignacio de GorritiGeneral José Ignacio de Gorriti was an Argentine statesman, soldier and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for SaltaSalta ProvinceSalta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy... - Dr. José Andrés Pacheco de MeloJosé Andrés Pacheco de MeloJosé Andrés Pacheco de Melo was an Argentine statesman and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for Chichas (present BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) - Dr. Teodoro Sánchez de BustamanteTeodoro Sánchez de BustamanteTeodoro Sánchez de Bustamante was an Argentine statesman, lawyer and soldier. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for JujuyJujuy ProvinceJujuy is a province of Argentina, located in the extreme northwest of the country, at the borders with Chile and Bolivia. The only neighboring Argentine province is Salta to the east and south.-History:... - Eduardo Pérez BulnesEduardo Pérez BulnesEduardo Pérez Bulnes was an Argentine statesman. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for CórdobaCórdoba Province (Argentina)Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca... - Tomás Godoy CruzTomás Godoy CruzTomás Godoy Cruz was an Argentine statesman and businessman. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on July 9, 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for MendozaMendoza ProvinceThe Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is... - Dr. Pedro Miguel AráozPedro Miguel AráozPedro Miguel Aráoz was an Argentine statesman and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for TucumánTucumán ProvinceTucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and... - Dr. Esteban Agustín GazcónEsteban Agustín GazcónEsteban Agustín Gazcón was a Bolivian-born statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880... - Pedro Francisco de UriartePedro Francisco de UriartePedro Francisco Uriarte was an Argentine statesman and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for Santiago del EsteroSantiago del Estero ProvinceSantiago del Estero is a province of Argentina, located in the north of the country. Neighbouring provinces are from the north clockwise Salta, Chaco, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Catamarca and Tucumán.-History:... - Pedro León GalloPedro León GalloPedro León Díaz Gallo was an Argentine statesman and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for Santiago del EsteroSantiago del Estero ProvinceSantiago del Estero is a province of Argentina, located in the north of the country. Neighbouring provinces are from the north clockwise Salta, Chaco, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Catamarca and Tucumán.-History:... - Pedro Ignacio RiveraPedro Ignacio RiveraPedro Ignacio Rivera was a Bolivian-born statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for MizqueMizque ProvinceMizque is a province in the Cochabamba Department, Bolivia. Its capital is Mizque.The province, in 1992, had a population of 27,959 inhabitants, mostly indigenous citizens of Quechuan descent. In 2001, the population increased to 36,181 inhabitants and it was estimated at 41,062 in 2005...
(present BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) - Dr. Mariano Sánchez de LoriaMariano Sánchez de LoriaMariano Sánchez de Loria was a Bolivian-born statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for CharcasCharcasCharcas may refer to:* Charcas Province, a province in Potosí Department, Bolivia* Real Audiencia of Charcas, one of six political units of the Viceroyalty of Peru* Charcas, a historical name of Sucre, capital of Bolivia...
(present BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) - Dr. José Severo MalabiaJosé Severo MalabiaJosé Severo Malabia was an Bolivian-born statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for CharcasCharcasCharcas may refer to:* Charcas Province, a province in Potosí Department, Bolivia* Real Audiencia of Charcas, one of six political units of the Viceroyalty of Peru* Charcas, a historical name of Sucre, capital of Bolivia...
(present BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) - Dr. Pedro Ignacio de Castro BarrosPedro Ignacio de Castro BarrosPedro Ignacio de Castro Barros was an Argentine statesman and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for La RiojaLa Rioja Province (Argentina)La Rioja is a one of the provinces of Argentina and is located in the west of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Catamarca, Córdoba, San Luis and San Juan.-History:... - Lic. Gerónimo Salguero de Cabrera y CabreraGerónimo Salguero de Cabrera y CabreraGerónimo Salguero de Cabrera Moynos , sometimes seen as Luis Jerónimo Cabrera y Cabrera or some variant, was an Argentine statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán, which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina.Salguero was born in Córdoba to an...
, Deputy for CórdobaCórdoba Province (Argentina)Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca... - Dr. José ColombresJosé ColombresJosé Eusebio Colombres was an Argentine statesman and bishop. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán of 9 July 1816 which declared the Independence of Argentina, and is credited with the foundation of the important sugar cane industry in Tucumán Province.Colombres was born in San...
, Deputy for CatamarcaCatamarca ProvinceCatamarca is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. The province has a population of 334,568 as per the , and covers an area of 102,602 km². Its literacy rate is 95.5%. Neighbouring provinces are : Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, and La Rioja... - Dr. José Ignacio ThamesJosé Ignacio ThamesJosé Ignacio Thames was an Argentine statesman and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on July 9, 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for TucumánTucumán ProvinceTucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and... - Friar Justo de Santa María de OroJusto de Santa María de OroJusto de Santa María de Oro y Albarracín was an Argentine statesman and bishop. He was an influential representative in the Congress of Tucumán, which on 9 July 1816, declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for San JuanSan Juan Province (Argentina)San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west.... - José Antonio CabreraJosé Antonio CabreraJosé Antonio Cabrera y Cabrera was an Argentine statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for CórdobaCórdoba Province (Argentina)Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca... - Dr. Juan Agustín MazaJuan Agustín MazaJuan Agustín Maza was an Argentine statesman and lawyer. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina....
, Deputy for MendozaMendoza ProvinceThe Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is... - Tomás Manuel de Anchorena, Deputy for Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...