The May Revolution (Spanish: Revolución de Mayo) was a week-long series of events that took place from 18 to 25 May 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. This Spanish colony included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil.
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Why it matteredThese events initiated the process of independence for the region, eventually leading to the formation of modern-day Argentina and its neighbours.
Quick facts
- Date18–25 May 1810
- LocationBuenos Aires, Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
- RemovedViceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
- New governmentPrimera Junta, president Cornelio Saavedra
- Key figuresMariano Moreno, Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli
- OutcomeEnd of Spanish rule in Buenos Aires
- Remembered25 May, a national holiday in Argentina
Editor's Take:
The May Revolution is a revolution that pretended not to be one. Its leaders swore loyalty to a captive king while taking his power for themselves. That careful ambiguity bought time, but the week of 18 to 25 May set off a chain of wars and new nations across South America. Every 25 May, Argentina still celebrates it as the start of the country's story.
Profile
The May Revolution: The Week Argentina Was Born
Buenos Aires, 18–25 May 1810
In 1808, Napoleon invaded Spain and forced King Ferdinand VII off the throne. Across Spanish America, people asked a dangerous question: if the king is a prisoner, who has the right to rule?
In May 1810, ships brought news to Buenos Aires that the last Spanish resistance government, the Central Junta in Seville, had collapsed. Local leaders argued that the authority of the viceroy, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros, had collapsed with it.
On 22 May, an open town meeting, the cabildo abierto, voted to remove him. A first junta led by Cisneros himself was rejected by crowds and militia officers. On 25 May 1810, the Primera Junta took power, with Cornelio Saavedra as president and Mariano Moreno and Juan José Paso as secretaries. Manuel Belgrano was among its members.
The new government still ruled in Ferdinand's name, so the break with Spain was not yet official. But Spanish rule in Buenos Aires was over. Independence was formally declared at the Congress of Tucumán on 9 July 1816.
Timeline
- 1806–07British invasions repelled: local militias gain confidence
- 1808Napoleon takes Spain: Ferdinand VII captive
- 13 May 1810News from Spain arrives: the Seville junta has fallen
- 22 MayOpen town meeting: votes to remove the viceroy
- 24 MayCisneros junta: rejected by the crowds
- 25 MayPrimera Junta formed: Saavedra president
- 1810–1816War of Independence: Belgrano and San Martín
- 9 Jul 1816Independence declared: Congress of Tucumán
Did you know?The square where crowds gathered outside the town hall was later renamed the Plaza de Mayo, and the old Cabildo building still stands there today.
The road to May
Buenos Aires had already shown its strength in 1806 and 1807, when local militias drove off two British invasions without help from Spain. Many criollos, people of Spanish descent born in the Americas, resented being kept out of top jobs.
Napoleon's capture of the Spanish crown gave them a legal argument: sovereignty had returned to the people.
What happened in May Week
The week, now called the Semana de Mayo, was a mix of meetings, petitions and pressure from armed militias. Debates in the cabildo turned on whether colonists could choose their own government.
On 25 May, crowds outside the Cabildo demanded to know what was happening, and the new junta was sworn in.
Legacy
The junta quickly sent armies to Paraguay, Upper Peru (now Bolivia) and the Banda Oriental (now Uruguay). These regions eventually became separate countries.
In Argentina, 25 May is a national holiday, and streets and squares named "25 de Mayo" can be found in almost every town.
The 217th anniversary falls on May 25, 2027.
