The logo for Lesson 11 is a caudillo

---

Much of the political debate in this period polarized around two positions loosely defined as "liberal" or "conservative". A 19th Century Latin American "liberal" would most likely favor a republican system, limits on the power of the Church, free trade with the outside world, and a decentralized federal arrangement of states or provinces. In contrast, the "conservative" might argue for a native monarchy (or at least a strong executive), a large role for the Church in education and issues involving public morality, restricted trade, and a centralized system in which the national executive would control the provinces. Conservatives stressed how well the Colonial system had functioned, and attempted to preserve as much of it as possible. Liberals pointed to the Colonial system's failures, exalted the examples of the new republics in France and the U.S., and demanded as much change as possible.