Revolt of the Comuneros (New Granada) facts for kids

The Comuneros Revolt was a big uprising in a place called the Viceroyalty of New Granada. This area is now Colombia and parts of Venezuela. People rose up against the Spanish rulers from March to October in 1781.

The revolt happened because Spain raised taxes a lot. They needed money to fight the British. Also, the prices of things like tobacco and brandy went up. These changes were part of something called the Bourbon reforms. At first, the revolt was only in a small area called Socorro. But later, a historian named Manuel Briceño saw it as an early step towards independence. Before 1781, people in New Granada had already protested Spanish rules. Sometimes these protests were violent.

The Uprising Begins

On March 16, 1781, in Socorro, a town in northeastern Colombia, a grocer named Manuela Beltrán took down official notices. These notices were about new taxes and changes that would make less money for the colonists. They would make more money for Spain. Many other towns in New Granada started to have similar protests. Colonists were very angry about the way the government was ruling them.

Local people began to gather. They chose a group of officials called el común. This was a central committee that would lead the movement. The rebels united under the leadership of Juan Francisco Berbeo. He was a Criollo, meaning he was of Spanish descent but born in the Americas.

Even though Berbeo was from the upper classes, the rebels brought together people from all social levels. The support of the elites helped the rebels unite. Berbeo gathered between 10,000 and 20,000 rebel troops. They started marching towards Bogotá, which was the capital city.

March to Bogotá

The rebels defeated the soldiers sent from Bogotá. They then reached a town just north of the capital. There, Spanish officials agreed to meet with the Comuneros. They signed an agreement that listed the rebels' demands and complaints.

However, once the rebels went home, the Spanish government officials broke their promise. They signed a document saying the agreement was not valid because they were forced to sign it. When more Spanish soldiers arrived, they were sent to the rebellious cities and towns. Their job was to make sure the increased taxes were put into place.

José Antonio Galán, one of the leaders of the revolt, continued fighting. He had only a small number of rebels with him, including Jose Manuel Ortiz Manosalvas. But they were quickly defeated and executed. Other leaders of the rebellion were sent to prison for life because of treason.

Impact of the Revolt

The Comuneros Revolt inspired similar uprisings in other places. These revolts also ended in a similar way. They spread as far north as Mérida and Timotes. These towns are now in Venezuela. But at that time, they were part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada.

The city of Barinas defeated the Comuneros from the Venezuelan Andes in 1781. Because of this, King Carlos IV gave Barinas a special coat of arms in 1790. This coat of arms is still used today by the state capital. It has the motto "very noble and very loyal."

See also

In Spanish: Rebelión de los comuneros para niños

• Comunero
• Rebellion of Túpac Amaru II (a similar revolt in Peru caused by the Bourbon Reforms)
• Antonio Caballero y Góngora
• José Antonio Galán
• José Alfonso Pizarro
• Juan José García de Hevia
• Juan de Torrezar Díaz Pimienta

External sources

• “Bourdon Reforms.” World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Accessed 29 January 2010.
• “Comunero Revolt.” World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Accessed 29 January 2010.