July 9, 2016, marks the 200th anniversary of Argentina’s declaration of independence from Spain. The Argentine independence movement began in 1806, when British attacks on Buenos Aires were repelled by local militia with little help from Spain. Also important were the ramifications of Napoleon I’s intervention in Spain, beginning in 1808. Napoleon’s overthrow of Ferdinand VII plunged Spain into a civil war between two rival governments—one set up by Napoleon and the other created by patriotic juntas in the name of the exiled king and aided by the British. Under ancient principles of Spanish law, the king’s dominions in America had the right to govern themselves until the restoration of a lawful king, and on May 25, 1810 (now celebrated as the day of the revolution), Buenos Aires established an autonomous viceroyalty in the name of Ferdinand, pending his restoration. However, when it became apparent that Ferdinand was virtually powerless following his restoration in 1814, an assembly of the members of the viceroyalty met at a home in San Miguel de Tucumán to discuss the situation. On July 9, 1816, they declared the country independent under the name of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.
Several years of hard fighting followed before the Spanish royalists were defeated in northern Argentina. They remained a threat from their base in Peru until it was liberated by José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar in 1820–24. The Buenos Aires government tried to maintain the integrity of the old Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, but the outlying portions, never effectively controlled, soon were lost: Paraguay in 1814, Bolivia in 1825, and Uruguay in 1828.
Today, Nueve de Julio is a federal holiday in Argentina, celebrated with fireworks, parades, speeches, and military demonstrations. Locro, a traditional stew, and empanadas are commonly eaten during the festivities, and the holiday is a time to gather with family and friends to celebrate. ¡Feliz Día de la Independencia!