Brute New World: The Rediscovery of Latin America in the Early 19th Century

After independence from Spain and Portugal, British and American soldiers, naval officers, mining engineers, merchants, businessmen, and wealthy travelers flocked to Latin America, expecting instant success. However, they encountered civil strife, corruption, squalor, religious intolerance, and petty jealousies, which had prevailed in earlier centuries. This book presents their experiences, covering political, business, and civilian history as well as military life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 28 January 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

After gaining independence from Spain and Portugal, Latin America became a magnet for British and American soldiers, naval officers, mining engineers, merchants, businessmen, and wealthy travelers. These individuals, mostly unfamiliar with the continent, harbored grand expectations of instant success, envisioning easy money, the acquisition of fertile land, military glory, or vast mineral wealth. However, their ambitions were largely unfulfilled, as the overthrow of the old regimes did not usher in peace, liberalism, and the social conditions necessary for foreign investment to thrive. To their dismay and disgust, they encountered the same civil strife, corruption, squalor, religious intolerance, and petty jealousies that had plagued earlier centuries. The experiences of these travelers, documented in their diaries, journals, and letters, are presented in this book. It holds significant interest for modern-day travelers, historians, and students of Latin America, particularly for its comprehensive coverage of political, business, and civilian history, as well as military life, across the continent.

After gaining independence from Spain and Portugal, Latin America became a magnet for British and American soldiers, naval officers, mining engineers, merchants, businessmen, and wealthy travelers. These individuals, mostly unfamiliar with the continent, harbored grand expectations of instant success, envisioning easy money, the acquisition of fertile land, military glory, or vast mineral wealth. However, their ambitions were largely unfulfilled, as the overthrow of the old regimes did not usher in peace, liberalism, and the social conditions necessary for foreign investment to thrive. To their dismay and disgust, they encountered the same civil strife, corruption, squalor, religious intolerance, and petty jealousies that had plagued earlier centuries. The experiences of these travelers, documented in their diaries, journals, and letters, are presented in this book. It holds significant interest for modern-day travelers, historians, and students of Latin America, particularly for its comprehensive coverage of political, business, and civilian history, as well as military life, across the continent.

Weight: 388g
Dimension: 154 x 234 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350184541