In 1806 and 1807, British expeditions conducted wars and settled in Buenos Aires. However, the brave creoles allied and defeated the British. On May 22nd, 1810, an open council of leading citizens were in a session discussing whether a Viceroy who represented no government or the constituted authorities of Buenos Aires should be the authority. On May 25th, the people of Buenos Aires waited outside the city hall demanding that “the people want to know what is being discussed”. On the same day, the open council of leading citizens eventually announced that Colonel Saavedra was the new president with a new acting administration, and the current government exiled Viceroy to the Canary Islands.(A)
The city hall where the current government decided to overthrow Viceroy
While the theoretical-minded politicians argued, a famous liberator José de San Martín led the soldiers of revolution to exterminate the Spaniards. After San Martín heard about the events in Buenos Aires, he immediately left France for home. He founded a secret patriotic society, the Logia Lautaro, with General Carlos de Alvear. This military group forced the government to do military expedient. Then San Martín set up headquarters in El Retiro (a city next to Buenos Aires) and established a school to teach military tactics and disciplines to forge an army that would win the independence. In 1813, San Martín heard that a Spanish expedition had slipped past the city bound of Buenos Aires, heading for San Lorenzo. He chose 120 grenadiers at once and gave the Spaniards a sound attack. After the battle, the grenadiers routed the Spaniards. San Martín later waged several wars against the Spanish and became well-known for liberating South America from Spanish rule.(A)
José de San Martín
Argentina declared its official independence on July 9th, 1816, and the government named Argentina the United Provinces of the River Plate.(B)
Map of Argentina
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