pon a popular assembly met at the
capital town of Guatemala, and on September 15, 1821, declared the
country an independent state. This radical act accomplished, the patriot
leaders were unable to proceed further. Demands for the establishment
of a federation, for a recognition of local autonomy, for annexation to
Mexico, were all heard, and none, except the last, was answered. While
the "Imperialists" and "Republicans" were arguing it out, a message
from Emperor Agustin announced that he would not allow the new state
to remain independent. On submission of the matter to a vote of the
cabildos, most of them approved reunion with the northern neighbor.
Salvador alone among the provinces held out until troops from Mexico
overcame its resistance.

On the continents of America, Spain had now lost nearly all its its
possessions. In 1822 the United States had already acquired East Florida
on its own account, led off in recognizing the independence of the
several republics. Only in Peru and Charcas the royalists still battled
on behalf of the mother country. In the West Indies, Santo Domingo
followed the lead of its sister colonies on the mainland by asserting in
1821 its independence; but its brief independent life was snuffed out
by the negroes of Haiti, once more a republic, who spread their control
over the entire island. Cuba also felt the impulse of the times. But,
apart from the agitation of secret societies like the "Rays and Suns of
Bolivar," which was soon checked, the colony remained tranquil.

In Portuguese America the knowledge of what had occurred throughout the
Spanish dominions could not fail to awaken a desire for independence.
The Prince Regent was well aware of the discontent of the Brazilians,
but he thought to allay it by substantial concessions. In 1815 he
proceeded to elevate the colony to substantial equality with the mother
country by joining them under the title of "United Kingdom of Portugal,
Brazil, and the Algarves." The next year the Prince Regent himself
became King under the name of John IV. The flame of discontent,
nevertheless, continued to smolder. Republican outbreaks, though quelled
without much difficulty, recurred. Even the reforms which had been
instituted by John himself while Regent, and which had assured freer
communication with the world at large, only emphasized more and more the
absurdity of permitting a feeble little land like Portugal to retain its
hold upon a region so extensiv