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Republic of New Granada
Republic of New Granada | |||||||||||
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| 1831–1858 | |||||||||||
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: Libertad y Orden (Liberty and Order) | |||||||||||
.svg) Location of the Republic of New Granada | |||||||||||
.svg) Detailed map of the country | |||||||||||
| Status | Defunct republic | ||||||||||
| Capital | Bogotá | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Spanish | ||||||||||
| Religion | Catholic | ||||||||||
| Demonym | Granadine / New Granadine | ||||||||||
| Government | Unitary presidential republic | ||||||||||
| Historical era | 19th century | ||||||||||
• Death of Simón Bolívar | December 17 1831 | ||||||||||
| 1831 | |||||||||||
| 1832 | |||||||||||
| 1832 | |||||||||||
| 1839 | |||||||||||
| 1843 | |||||||||||
| 1851 | |||||||||||
| 1854 | |||||||||||
| 1858 | |||||||||||
| November 19 1858 | |||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||
| 1851 | 1,331,250 km2 (514,000 sq mi) | ||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||
• 1851 | 2,240,054 | ||||||||||
| Currency | Colombian real Colombian peso | ||||||||||
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The Republic of New Granada was the name given to the unitary republic created by the central provinces of Gran Colombia after its dissolution in 1830. It kept that name from 1831 until 1858, when it was renamed the Granadine Confederation. Its territory comprised the present-day countries of Colombia and Panama, and at its greatest extent it came to dispute sovereignty over the Mosquito Coast, today in Nicaragua, with the Federal Republic of Central America and with the Kingdom of Great Britain.
History
After the dissolution of Gran Colombia, two new countries, named the State of Venezuela and the State of Ecuador, emerged from the territories that made up the northern and southern departments. The provinces that geographically occupied the central part of the disintegrated Gran Colombia, which at that time comprised the former departments of Boyacá, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Magdalena and Isthmus, decided to form a new State. The era of the Republic of New Granada was characterized by political, social and economic changes, which gave rise to disputes and clashes among various social sectors.
Through the Apulo Agreement (concluded on April 28, 1831), General Rafael Urdaneta, the last President of Gran Colombia, handed over command to Domingo Caycedo (May 3, 1831).
The Constitution of 1832
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| Provisional symbols of the State of New Granada, decreed on December 17, 1831, and used until May 9, 1834. | ||
On October 20, 1831, a Granadine Convention was held, at which the separation was approved and a centralized and presidential republic was established, provisionally called the State of New Granada until the promulgation of a new constitution. On November 17, 1831, the Fundamental Law was promulgated, but work on it continued during 1832.[1] Francisco de Paula Santander was appointed President by Congress for a four-year term, while the term of senators was reduced from eight to four years and that of representatives from four to two years. Greater representation and power were granted to the provinces. The provinces were called departments, and it was stipulated that they were to be administered by a governor appointed by the President and by assemblies elected by vote.
In this period the centralists and the clergy began to be distinguished by the name of conservatives, and their opponents, the federalists, by the name of liberals.
On February 29, 1832, the National Convention, made up of the representatives of the provinces of Antioquia, Barbacoas, Bogotá, Cartagena, Mompós, Neiva, Pamplona, Panama, Pasto, Popayán, Socorro, Tunja, Vélez and Veraguas, sanctioned a new constitution by which the country was officially named the Republic of New Granada as of March 1 of that year.[2][3]
War of the Supremes
In 1838 President José Ignacio de Márquez sanctioned a law suppressing Catholic convents that housed fewer than eight religious, in order to use them as centers of public instruction, which led several priests of the city of San Juan de Pasto to rise up on June 30, 1839,[4][5] even though this measure had the support of the Archbishop of Bogotá.[6]
The uprising was suppressed two months later, but it flared up again when the regional caudillos rose against the central government in order to obtain political and economic demands (hence its name, "War of the Supremes").[4] In July 1840 José María Obando escaped from the prison where he was awaiting trial for the assassination of Antonio José de Sucre in 1828 and began an uprising that was exploited by other anti-government leaders to spread the civil war.[5]
The war soon spread to other provinces and included a border conflict with the Republic of Ecuador, because the clergy of Pasto depended on that country. When the Ecuadorian troops commanded by Juan José Flores crossed the border, these commanders rose up in their respective regions. However, this movement lacked a single leadership, which allowed its defeat in 1842.[5]
The separation of Panama of 1840
The War of the Supremes prompted the Panamanian political leadership to remove the Isthmus of Panama from the conflict and to proclaim a republic independent and sovereign from the rest of the country. On November 18, 1840, under the leadership of General Tomás Herrera, the State of the Isthmus was established by means of a Fundamental Law. The reincorporation of the Isthmus of Panama was conditioned on the government of New Granada adopting a federal political system that would satisfy the needs of the people of the isthmus.
This independent country lasted thirteen months and a few days; as soon as the New Granadine government managed to defeat the belligerents, a military expedition was prepared in Cauca to invade the isthmus. General Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera sought to avoid the imminent conflict by sending Commander Julio Arboleda as commissioner, who was unsuccessful. Later, Colonel Anselmo Pineda and Ricardo de la Parra, commissioned by Rufino Cuervo, succeeded in concluding an agreement on December 31, 1841, which reincorporated the Isthmus of Panama into New Granada.[7]
This would be the most successful of the attempts at the separation of Panama from Colombia and its various historical denominations during the 19th century.
Constitutional reform of 1843
During the presidency of General Pedro Alcántara Herrán, the power of the President was strengthened in order to be able to maintain order throughout the national territory, which at that time was in civil war (the War of the Supremes); an intensive educational reform was carried out, and authoritarianism and centralism were imposed throughout the national territory, which conservatism used to its advantage.
Between 1849 and 1853 the number of provinces increased from 22 to 36.
The separation of Panama of 1850
In 1850 General José Domingo Espinar and E. A. Teller, editor of the newspaper "Panama Echo", carried out a revolution in the early hours of September 29, which ended in the second separation of Panama from New Granada. Obaldía, Governor of the Isthmus, did not agree with this separation, since he saw the isthmus as not yet prepared to take control of its destiny, and he persuaded them to desist and to reintegrate the isthmus once again.
Civil war of 1851
Following the reforms initiated by President José Hilario López, which included the freeing of the slaves (May 21, 1851), the expulsion of the Jesuits,[8] the abolition of the death penalty and of imprisonment for debt, and the enshrinement of freedom of the press and trial by jury, the landowners of Cauca rose up against him, considering the reforms too liberal.[4]
Thus, on May 22 the rebels made their pronouncement in the south of the country and Julio Arboleda tried to capture San Juan de Pasto, but was defeated; there were also uprisings in Sogamoso, Mariquita, Guatavita and El Guamo. To suppress these uprisings, the government then appointed General José María Obando as general-in-chief of the Army of the South and General Tomás Herrera as commander in the Cauca Valley,[8] who gradually quelled these armed clashes. The war was ended at the close of the year, with the defeat of Mariano Ospina Rodríguez on August 30 and the capitulation of General Borrero on September 10.[8]
Constitutional reform of 1853
The constitutional pendulum swung toward the liberal approach. Among the new measures, federalism was initiated, slavery was abolished, suffrage was extended to all men over 21 years of age, direct popular vote was imposed for electing members of Congress, governors and magistrates, administrative freedom and religious freedom were established, there was a separation between Church and State, and the legal personality of the Catholic Church was ended. Some of these advances were later reversed in the Colombian constitution of 1886.
In September 1853 elections were held to choose the attorney general and the Supreme Court of Justice; and on October 3, 1853, the governor of Bogotá was elected, with votes counted by parish district.
Civil war of 1854
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| Coat of arms used in 1854 during the dictatorship of General José María Melo (left) and provisional coat of arms once Melo's dictatorship had ended (right). | ||
After the presidential elections of 1853, in which the radical liberal candidate Tomás Herrera (supported by General José María Melo) was defeated by the moderate liberal candidate José María Obando, Melo did not accept his defeat and staged a coup d'état on April 17, 1854, against President Obando.[9] A Constitutionalist military alliance of radicals and conservatives was immediately formed, which launched the offensive against Melo, with battles taking place in Pamplona, Bucaramanga, Vélez, Tunja, Tequendama and Cali, encircling the Melist army within the perimeter of the City of Bogotá.[10] Melo organized his forces into the so-called Regenerating Army, which numbered some 11,042 troops.[11]
Melo remained in power for eight months, but finally the Constitutionalist troops from the north and south of the country joined together, totaling 11,000 men, surrounding the 7,000 Melists who were defending Bogotá.[12] On December 4 of the same year the alliance entered Bogotá victorious, after defeating the Melist army and its allies, the moderate liberals and the artisans. The latter put up tenacious resistance during the final assault on the capital, for which reason the victorious party banished hundreds of artisans to the Chagres River in Panama. The conflict cost some 4,000 lives.[13]
End of the republic
During the years 1848 and 1849 the names of the traditional parties, Liberal and Conservative, were finally coined; their ideological differences took shape, and the emphasis on personalism was gradually left behind.
From 1849 onward, during the government of General José Hilario López, the country underwent a strong political and economic transformation, as the colonial structure began to be replaced by that of capitalism.
The ideological, political and military struggle throughout the territory to define the destiny of the country radicalized sectors and regions. This created the conditions favorable to the emergence (1849) and definitive configuration of the historic Colombian parties: the Liberal (Ezequiel Rojas) and the Conservative (Mariano Ospina Rodríguez and José Eusebio Caro).
The Republic of New Granada became the Granadine Confederation upon the approval of the Constitution of 1858, with which the federalist period began. In 1863 it adopted the name of the United States of Colombia.
Presidents
There were fourteen presidents of the Republic of New Granada:[14]
| Photo | President | Term | Party | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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José María Obando | November 23, 1831 – March 10, 1832 | Provisional Vice President | ||
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Francisco de Paula Santander | March 10, 1832 – April 1, 1837 | Father of the Republic and First Constitutional President of New Granada, today Colombia. Founder of Public Education. | ||
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José Ignacio de Márquez | April 1, 1837 – April 1, 1841 | |||
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Pedro Alcántara Herrán | April 1, 1841 – April 1, 1845 | Son-in-law of General Mosquera | ||
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Domingo Caycedo | April 1, 1841 – May 2, 1841 | Vice President | ||
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Juan de Dios Aranzazu | July 5, 1841 – May 19, 1842 | President of the Council of State | ||
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Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera | April 1, 1845 – April 1, 1849 | |||
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José Hilario López | April 1, 1849 – April 1, 1853 | Liberal | Abolished slavery in the country and undertook an ambitious plan of reforms affecting the economy and politics | |
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José María Obando | April 1, 1853 – April 17, 1854 | Liberal | ||
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José María Melo | April 17, 1854 – December 4, 1854 | Liberal | De facto. Came to power through a coup d'état supported by the artisans of Bogotá. First president removed by Congress. Died by firing squad in Mexico | |
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Tomás Herrera | April 21, 1854 – August 5, 1854 | Liberal | Born in Panama. Died in combat shortly after leaving office | |
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José de Obaldía | August 5, 1854 – April 1, 1855 | Liberal | Born in Panama. Was first Vice President | |
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Manuel María Mallarino | April 1, 1855 – April 1, 1857 | Conservative | ||
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Mariano Ospina Rodríguez | April 1, 1857 – May 22, 1858 | Conservative | ||
National symbols
When Gran Colombia broke apart, its successor countries provisionally continued to use the same emblems that this nation had possessed, until their own insignia were decreed; thus, from December 17, 1831, until May 9, 1834, New Granada, now a republic, used the same Gran Colombian flag and coat of arms, merely adding the motto "Estado de Nueva Granada" (State of New Granada) on its bordure to distinguish it from the one used by its neighbors.[15]
Finally, on May 9, 1834, Francisco de Paula Santander, in his capacity as President of the Republic of New Granada, established the colors and their arrangement on the flag. The decree likewise defined the shape and basic elements of the coat of arms of the Republic, most of which have remained intact ever since.
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Flag of New Granada, in use from 1834 to 1861. -
Merchant flag of New Granada, in use from 1834 to 1861. -
War flag of New Granada, in use between 1834 and 1861. -
Coat of arms of New Granada between 1834 and 1861.
Territorial organization
According to the constitution,[16] the territory of New Granada was divided into provinces. Each province was composed of one or more cantons, and each canton was divided into parish districts.
Likewise, the Republic included some national territories located (for the most part) on the peripheries of the country.[17]
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Republic of New Granada in 1835. -
Republic of New Granada in 1847. -
Republic of New Granada in 1853. -
National territories existing in Colombia between 1843 and 1886.
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Geography
According to the Constitution:[16] The boundaries of the territory of the Republic were the same as those that, in the year 1810, divided the territory of the Viceroyalty of New Granada from that of the Captaincies General of Venezuela and Guatemala, and from that of the Portuguese possessions of Brazil; and those that, by the treaty approved by the Congress of New Granada on May 30, 1833, divide it from that of the Republic of Ecuador.
Economy
The economy of the Republic of New Granada was based on the trade of agricultural products from different parts of the country, as well as on the opening of the ports to foreign powers other than Spain, which led to unequal dealings with the nascent Hispanic Republic.
Like the rest of Hispanic America, the economy of New Granada during the Viceroyalty centered on mining and agriculture. The excessive control of the metropolis over all areas of production and the collection of taxes led to an economy that was not very dynamic. The Spaniards held the monopoly over mining, in the service of the coffers of the peninsula, where most of the metals were sent. In turn, the Crown held the monopoly on the trade of manufactured goods to the colonies. For its part, agricultural production was quite rudimentary and focused on satisfying internal needs.
Demographics
According to the census of 1851, the total population of the country was 2,240,054 inhabitants, of whom 1,086,705 were men and 1,153,349 women. Of all the provinces, the most populated were those of Bogotá, Tunja, Socorro and Tundama.[18]
Culture
According to the constitution,[16] the Catholic religion was the only one whose worship was maintained by the Republic.
Notes and references
- ↑ "Ley fundamental de la Nueva Granada de 1831" (in español). Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. Archived from the original on February 1, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ↑ "Constitución Política del Estado de Nueva Granada de 1832" (in español). Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ↑ de Pombo, Lino (1845). "Recopilación de leyes de la Nueva Granada" (in español). Imprenda de Zoilo Salazar. p. 2. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Guerras civiles del siglo XIX (1885-1839)" (in español). Colombia Link. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Fabio Zambrano. "Las guerras civiles" (in español). Conexión Colombia. Retrieved September 21, 2011.[dead link]
- ↑ Gutiérrez Cely, Eugenio. "Márquez y la guerra de los supremos. Caudillos regionales contra el gobierno central" (in español). Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ↑ Compendio de historia de Panamá. Sosa, Juan Bautista, 1870-1920 Archived 2013-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "La guerra de 1851" (in español). Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ↑ Vélez Ocampo, Antonio. "La guerra civil de 1854" (in español). Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango. Archived from the original on August 24, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ↑ Melgar Bao, Ricardo (1989). El movimiento obrero latinoamericano: historia de una clase subalterna. Volume I. Mexico City: Alianza Editorial Mexicana, pp. 60
- ↑ Ortiz, 1855: 244
- ↑ Cardona, 2008: 93
- ↑ Alberto Pardo Pardo (1972). Geografía económica y humana de Colombia. Volume XI. Santa Fe de Bogotá: Ediciones Tercer Mundo, pp. 204. In the chaos that followed the end of Gran Colombia, some 2,200 people died as a result of political conflicts.
- ↑ Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango. "Presidentes de la República en la historia de Colombia" (in español). Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ↑ Ortega Ricaurte, Enrique (1954). Heráldica Nacional (in español). Banco de la República, Bogotá. OCLC 253691402.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Constitución de la República de Nueva Granada de 1843" (in español). Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ↑ Pérez, Felipe (1883). Geografía general física y política de los Estados Unidos de Colombia (in español). Imprenta de Echeverría Hermanos. ISBN 9781144424846.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ↑ "Censo de población, año de 1852" (in español). Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
