The emancipation of Latin America, “destroyed a vast and responsive social, political, and economic system that functioned well despite many imperfections1,” according to historian Jaime E. Rodriguez. In Born in Blood and Fire, John Charles Chasteen supports Rodriguez’s statement with various facts. According to Chasteen, even though the independence of Latin America had a positive effect, it weakened the economy as well as the government. The independence may have abolished slavery, but it also had some negative side effects. One may choose to agree with Rodriguez based on the supporting facts, portrayed by Chasteen through his book and primary sources. It is not certain, however, that all will agree with Rodriguez. There might be people who…show more content… The natives were no longer a lost cause and they were able to learn about things they did not know existed. They were introduced to religion through the Spanish, which helped the natives understand a new perspective. Before the Spanish rule, the native people were not much aware of the outside world. For them, there was no religion and no government. When the Spanish colonized Latin America, they brought their cultural and religious influences with them. These influences not only affected the natives negatively, but also…show more content… Liberal ideas, such as liberty, equality, popular sovereignty, and America for Americans made the independence of Latin America possible3. It “inspired patriot dreams and justified revolt by explaining why Americans should rule themselves4.” It also hardened the patriot alliance with indefinite possibilities of equality. The liberals were not very successful with their ideas putting into practice. Their dreams of a prosperous, progressive new country soon turned into a disappointment and an economic failure. Governing by liberal principles was not an easy thing to do. It was a struggle for the liberals to stand by their ideas and influence the