Most of South America was a Spanish colony, except for Brazil, which was a Portuguese colony. The South American citizens were desiring independence from their colonial rulers for a long time. The examples and precedents set by the French and the American revolutions inspired them to work towards their goals. The wars for independence of South America took place from 1806 to roughly 1826.
Venezuela declared its independence from the Spanish colonies on 5th July, 1811, but actual independence came almost a decade later, when Simon Bolivar and his forces scored a comprehensive defeat over Spanish forces on June 24.
The official independence of Argentina was declared on July 9th, 1816, when an independent congress met and made the formal declaration.
Bolivia earned independence on August 6, 1822, and country was named Bolivia after Simon Bolivar, the South American hero of the independence war.
Chile declared its independence on 1810, but it came officially the next year, and is celebrated on the 8th of September.
In Ecuador, the celebrated day is August 10, 1809, which was the day of the firs South American mass uprising against the Spanish. The country gained independence in 1822, on the 24th of May.
Colombia celebrates its independence on two days, the 20th of July, the day when independence was declared, and 7th August, on the date when the last battle against the Spanish ended successfully in1819.
Brazil got its independence on September 7, 1822. Paraguay became independent on May 15th, 1811. Peru got its independence on July 28th , 1821, and Uruguay on August 25, 1825.
