32  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA

poleon,  which  gave  the  many  Spanish  colonies
that  had  become  thoroughly  satiated  with  disgust ­
  and  contempt  for  the  Madrid  Government, ­
  a  chance  to  rebel  and  establish  themselves ­
  as  independent  nations.  Taking  advantage ­
  of  the  condition  in  Europe  and  having  in
mind  the  successful  revolution  of  the  American ­
  colonists,  the  people  of  Argentine,  Bolivia,
Paraguay  and  Chile  revolted,  and  after  much
fighting  finally  drove  the  Spanish  troops  from
their  shores.  May  23,  1810,  the  people  of
Buenos  Aires  declared  their  independence.
A  Congress  was  held  in  Tucuman  on  July  9,
1816,  the  result  of  which  was  the  more  complete ­
  unification  of  the  Argentine  people  under
the  title  of  the  United  Provinces  of  the  La
Plata  River.  The  government  in  i860
adopted  as  its  national  title  “The  Argentine
Nation”  by  which  it  now  prefers  to  be  called.
Few  know  that  the  British  had  covetous
plans  upon  this  really  wonderful  country  and
twice  invaded  it,  once  in  1806,  and  again  in
1807.  After  their  fleet  had  bombarded  the
capital,  the  troops  landed,  and  were  both  times