United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
Argentina, 1810–1831. Draft, not yet reviewed
The United Provinces of the Río de la Plata is the name used for the emerging state that succeeded the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata after the May Revolution, from 1810 to 1831. The result of the May Revolution was the removal of Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros and the establishment of a local government, the Primera Junta, on 25 May. The Argentine Declaration of Independence was issued at the Congress of Tucumán on 9 July 1816. The state is now the Argentine Republic.
Seat of power: Buenos Aires
Rulers
Gervasio Antonio de Posadas
Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, 1814–1815
During his one-year term Posadas appointed José de San Martín Governor-Intendant of Cuyo (10 August 1814), a post from which San Martín organized the Army of the Andes. Under Posadas, the revolutionary fleet commanded by Guillermo Brown won decisive actions in 1814 (notably the Battle of Buceo), which led to the capitulation of Montevideo on 23 June 1814 and the end of royalist control of the principal naval base in the estuary. On 10 September 1814 Posadas decreed the separation of the territories of Entre Ríos and Corrientes from the Buenos Aires intendancy, establishing them as provinces of the state and fixing their boundaries (including the annexation of the Misiones pueblos to Corrientes).
Portrait of Gervasio Antonio de Posadas: Desconocido. Sin embargo, aquí se puede confirmar que es anterior a 1865, Public domain, file
Ignacio Álvarez Thomas
Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, 1815–1816
His administration faced the breakdown of relations with the Liga Federal and recurrent unrest in the Littoral. In September 1815 Buenos Aires reoccupied Santa Fe through the Ejército de Observación, but the position collapsed in March 1816 with the triumph of the federalist uprising; the ensuing crisis undermined Álvarez Thomas's authority.
Portrait of Ignacio Álvarez Thomas: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Carlos María de Alvear
Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, 1815–1815
Alvear served as the second Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata from 9 January to 15 April 1815. On 9 January 1815 the Assembly chose Alvear as Supreme Director; he resigned in mid-April amid military unrest and political opposition.
Portrait of Carlos María de Alvear: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Juan Martín de Pueyrredon
Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, 1816–1819
In 1816, Pueyrredón was elected Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. He strongly supported José de San Martín's military campaign in Chile, and also founded the first national bank of Argentina and the national mint. After the declaration of a Unitarian constitution, revolts forced him to resign as Supreme Director in 1819 and go into exile in Montevideo.
Portrait of Juan Martín de Pueyrredon: Prilidiano Pueyrredón, Public domain, file
Antonio González de Balcarce
Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, 1816–1816
He briefly served as interim Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata between April and July 1816, and earlier led the patriot victory at the Battle of Suipacha (7 November 1810), the first major triumph of the revolutionary forces in Upper Peru. Following the resignation of Ignacio Álvarez Thomas, the General Constituent Assembly designated González de Balcarce as interim head of state.
Portrait of Antonio González de Balcarce: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
José Rondeau
Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, 1819–1820
On 10 June 1819 he became Supreme Director. After the federalist victory at the Battle of Cepeda on 1 February 1820, which precipitated the fall of the directorial regime, Rondeau resigned; Juan Pedro Aguirre briefly acted as his successor in February 1820.
Portrait of José Rondeau: Gaetano Gallino, Public domain, file
Juan Pedro Aguirre
Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, 1820–1820
Aguirre briefly served as the last Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in February 1820. He served from 1 to 11 February 1820, after which the directorial regime was dissolved and the office abolished.
Portrait of Juan Pedro Aguirre: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Culture
- The May Revolution was a direct reaction to Napoleon's invasion of Spain.
- The name "United Provinces of the Río de la Plata" is recognised as one of the official names of Argentina according to its constitution.
- The name Argentina gained popularity during the 1820s thanks to the drafting and approval of the 1826 constitution, although United Provinces of the Río de la Plata continued to be the most common name for the State.
Picture
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from 18 to 25 May 1810, in Buenos Aires.
Image: Pedro Subercaseaux, Public domain, file
Sources
- United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (Wikipedia)
- United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (Wikidata)
- About the picture (Wikipedia)
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.