2. THE MAY REVOLUTION IS THE NAME GIVEN TO A PROCESS THAT TOOK
PLACE IN BUENOS AIRES IN MAY 1810, WHICH ENDED WITH THE REMOVAL
OF THE SPANISH VICEROY AND HIS REPLACEMENT BY A LOCAL
GOVERNMENT JUNTA.
IT WAS A REVOLUTION OF A MUNICIPAL NATURE, DRIVEN BY A SECTOR OF
REVOLUTIONARY CRIOLLOS IN BUENOS AIRES, WHO WERE INFLUENCED BY
THE IDEAS SPREAD BY THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION.

3. THE ASSEMBLED CRIOLLOS ASKED VICEROY CISNEROS TO CONVENE AN OPEN CABILDO. THE LATTER,
AT FIRST WARY, EVENTUALLY GAVE IN TO THE STRENGTH OF THEIR DEMANDS.
MORE THAN 200 NEIGHBOURS GATHERED TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF REMOVING THE VICEROY.
THE FORMATION OF A GOVERNMENT JUNTA PRESIDED OVER BY CISNEROS WAS ANNOUNCED, BUT
POPULAR DISCONTENT FORCED THE JUNTA TO RESIGN.
THE CRIOLLOS MOBILISED THE PEOPLE OF BUENOS AIRES TO THE SQUARE AND USED THEIR MILITIAS
TO THREATEN THE CABILDANTES WITH OPEN FIRE IF CISNEROS INSISTED ON HEADING A NEW
GOVERNMENT.
FINALLY, CISNEROS' RESIGNATION WAS ANNOUNCED AND A LOCAL GOVERNMENT JUNTA WAS FORMED,
COMPOSED OF SEVEN CRIOLLOS AND TWO SPANIARDS AND HEADED BY THE AMERICAN MILITARY
OFFICER, CORNELIO SAAVEDRA.

5. AMONG THE MAIN CAUSES OF THE MAY REVOLUTION, BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
FACTORS CAN BE IDENTIFIED:
• The French invasion of Spain in 1808, during which Napoleon Bonaparte took King
Charles IV and his heir, Ferdinand VII, prisoner and replaced them with his brother Joseph
Bonaparte.
• The spread of the ideals of liberty and equality propagated by the French Revolution,
which influenced the criollos who promoted the May Revolution.
• The English Invasions of 1806 and 1807, during which the Spanish authorities had been
discredited and the Creoles had become aware of their ability to fight for their freedom.
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE MAIN CONSEQUENCES:
• The removal of the Spanish viceroy Hidalgo de Cisneros and his replacement by the First
Junta, which seized power in the viceregal capital.
• The beginning of the dissolution of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a process that led
to the formation of four independent states: Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia.
• The elimination of monopoly and the establishment of free trade, which made it possible,
among other things, for Rio de la Plata ranchers to export their products to the European
powers.

6. THE MAY REVOLUTION WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE EMANCIPATION
PROCESS, WHICH AFTER ADVANCES AND SETBACKS, LED TO THE
INDEPENDENCE OF ARGENTINA, PROCLAIMED IN 1816 AND SECURED
AFTER THE LIBERATION CAMPAIGNS IN CHILE AND PERU.