Manuel Montt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manuel Montt
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Montt in 1868
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| 5th President of Chile | |
| In office September 18, 1851 – September 18, 1861 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Bulnes |
| Succeeded by | José Joaquín Pérez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 4, 1809 Petorca, Viceroyalty of Peru |
| Died | September 21, 1880 (aged 71) Santiago, Chile |
| Political party | Conservative (until 1857) National (from 1857) |
| Spouse | Rosario Montt Goyenechea |
Manuel Francisco Antonio Julián Montt Torres (September 4, 1809 – September 21, 1880) was an important Chilean leader and thinker. He was elected President of Chile two times. He served as president from 1851 to 1861.
Contents
Who Was Manuel Montt?
Early Life and Education
Manuel Montt was born in Petorca, a town in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. His parents were immigrants from Catalonia, a region in Spain. His family was quite poor.
When Manuel was 13, his father passed away, making life even harder for his family. That same year, his mother helped him get into the Instituto Nacional (National Institute). He could only afford to study there by tutoring other students. He later became the head of this institute from 1835 to 1840.
Manuel studied law at the Instituto Nacional. He became a lawyer in 1833. Soon after, he began to hold important jobs in schools and in the government.
Starting a Public Career
Manuel Montt had a great career as a scholar. He started working in public life during the time of President José Joaquín Prieto (1831–1841). He was helped by Diego Portales, another important leader.
Manuel Montt showed great bravery during a difficult time in 1837. This was after Portales was assassinated. Even though Montt had a lower-level job in the government, he stood out.
In 1840, Montt was chosen to be part of the National Congress of Chile. He served as a minister under President Manuel Bulnes (1841–1851). He was the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Justice. He also served as the Minister of Public Instruction for a while. He strongly believed that Chile needed to improve its education and science.
A Plant Named After Him!
In 1849, a botanist named Claude Gay honored Manuel Montt. He named a group of flowering plants after him. These plants are called Monttea. They are found in Argentina and Chile.
Manuel Montt's Time as President
Becoming President
In 1851, Manuel Montt won the election to become Chile's president. However, some people from the Liberal Party thought the election was unfair. They started an armed rebellion, known as the Revolution of 1851. But this uprising was quickly stopped.
Montt was seen as a leader for the conservative wealthy families. He was very firm in his beliefs. But he also worked hard to make Chile better economically and socially.
Big Changes for Chile
President Montt made some people angry, especially conservatives. He said the government had the right to choose church leaders in Chile's Roman Catholic Church. He also supported making it easier to sell or pass on large land estates.
His government made big improvements in trade and banking. They also wrote down and organized Chile's laws. Montt strongly supported public education and encouraged people to move to Chile. He also helped settle the area south of the Bío-Bío River.
Encouraging New Settlers
Manuel Montt was Chile's first president who was not a military general. He continued the important changes started by Diego Portales. With his Minister of Immigration, Vicente Perez Rosales, he encouraged German immigrants to settle in the south of Chile.
The city of Puerto Montt was founded in these new settled lands. It was named in his honor. Manuel Montt led Chile with great energy and wisdom. His actions helped build a strong foundation for the country's wealth and success.
Building Up the Country
Montt was greatly helped by his Minister of the Interior, Antonio Varas. Because of their teamwork, a very conservative political group was formed. They were known as the Montt-Varistas.
During his time as president, many new things were built. These included railways, telegraph lines, banks, schools, and training colleges. Near the end of his second term, Montt wanted Varas to be the next president. This led to another armed uprising in 1859 by the liberals.
Montt stopped this rebellion too. But he made peace with the liberals by supporting José Joaquín Pérez instead. Pérez was a more moderate leader.
Life After the Presidency
After he finished being president in 1861, Manuel Montt became the President of the Supreme Court of Chile. He held this important job until he passed away in September 1880.
Manuel Montt's nephew, Jorge Montt, also became president of Chile later (1891–1896). His son, Pedro Montt, was also president from 1906 to 1910.
Manuel Montt died in Santiago, Chile, on September 21, 1880. He was 71 years old. The city of Puerto Montt is named after him.
See Also
- In Spanish: Manuel Montt para niños
