Instructions of the Year XIII facts for kids

The Instructions of the Year XIII (Spanish: Instrucciones del año XIII) were a set of important ideas and rules. They were brought by representatives from the Oriental Province (which is now Uruguay) to a big meeting called the Assembly of the Year XIII. This meeting was held in 1813 in the United Provinces of the River Plate.

What Were the Instructions of the Year XIII?

In 1813, a group of leaders called the Second Triumvirate organized a meeting. The goal was to decide how the new nation should be governed. The people of the Oriental Province had their own strong ideas. They created a document with principles that favored sharing power.

Why Were These Instructions Important?

The people from the Oriental Province wanted a government where power was spread out. This idea is called federalism. It means that local areas have a lot of say in how they are run. This was different from the centralism favored by the Second Triumvirate. Centralism meant most power would be held by a central government, often in Buenos Aires.

Key Ideas of the Instructions

The Instructions of the Year XIII declared several important principles:

• They wanted complete independence from any foreign power.
• They believed in a republican form of government. This means citizens elect their leaders.
• They strongly supported federalism, where power is shared.
• They called for full civic and religious freedom for everyone.
• They also stated that the capital city should not be Buenos Aires.

The Conflict with Buenos Aires

These Instructions led to a long-lasting disagreement. The leader from the Oriental Province, José Gervasio Artigas, strongly supported these ideas. However, the authorities in Buenos Aires often disagreed with him. This created a conflict that shaped the early history of the region. Some experts believe that the ideas of American founding father Thomas Paine influenced these Instructions.

See also

In Spanish: Instrucciones del año XIII para niños

• Assembly of the Year XIII
• Oriental Province
• Liga Federal
• Artiguism