PAES Historia | La República Liberal 1860-1890 | Clase 5

Main ideas and lessons (Liberal Republic in Chile, ~1861–1891; sometimes described as 1860–1890)

Context and purpose of the class

The Liberal Republic is introduced as the next historical stage after the Conservative Republic (1830–1860). The class is organized into three blocks:

1. What the Liberal Republic was and why leadership/power changed.
2. The main transformations of the period.
3. The territorial transformations, especially:
   • Occupation of Araucanía
   • War of the Pacific

Core characterization of the Liberal Republic

The period is characterized by:

• Political stability and economic growth
• Modernizing reforms
• Limiting executive (presidential) power
• Strengthening Congress
• Advancing secularization (Church–State separation)
• Territorial expansion, with major consequences for Chile’s economy and society

How this differed from the Conservative Republic

Conservative Republic:

• Strong centralized executive power
• Limited political participation
• Catholic Church with major social and administrative influence
• Economy tied to exporting raw materials and dependence on international markets

Liberal Republic:

• Liberals gain power and substantially change the state’s conception
• Reforms aim to:
  • Separate church and state functions
  • Increase civil liberties and electoral access (still not universal voting)
  • Reduce the executive’s dominance and give more leverage to Congress

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Detailed instruction-style content: class “method” (PAES-style practice manual)

How the Puntaje Nacional practice manual is used

The instructor explains that the Puntaje Nacional manual is:

• Not primarily a content manual, but a practice manual

It helps students to:

• Practice and develop habits
• Complete a summary exercise at the start of the unit
• Apply key concepts through short exercises based on unit themes
• Produce a thematic summary after the exercise

Students are encouraged to use the materials to:

• Review, go deeper, and revisit later

The video also emphasizes that classes are recorded and available on:

• Puntaje Nacional YouTube channel
• puntagenacional.cl
• Organized by topic and linked to study plans

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Block 1: What the Liberal Republic was and why the transition happened

Main reasons for the transition from Conservative to Liberal leadership

• Political parties became more formal over time (moving beyond loose factions).
• A key precursor mentioned is the “sacristan” conflict (1856):
  • A dispute exposed tensions between Church and State over authority
  • It led to a broader debate over who should be above whom:
    • Whether church authority should be independent in some areas (Ultra-Montane conservatives)
    • Or whether the state should control the church (National/Montbarrista conservatives, linked to Manuel Montt / Antonio Varas)
• Part of the Conservative sector allied with Liberals, contributing to José Joaquín Pérez reaching power.
• This is presented as the definitive end of conservative hegemony, lasting since the 1830s.

Leadership/power structure changes

• Conservatives: argued for a strong, centralized executive
• Liberals: argued for reducing presidential power, including limiting reelection and strengthening Congress

Timeline of presidents named for the period

• Jose Joaquín Pérez
• Federico (spelled ambiguously, referenced as “Rasuris”)
• Aníbal Pinto
• Domingo Santa María
• José Manuel Balmaceda

Emphasis: more presidents than in the Conservative Republic due to changes limiting executive power.

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Block 2: Major transformations of the Liberal Republic (political reforms + secularization)

1) Constitutional reform approach (reforms to the 1833 Constitution)

A key point: no new constitution was created during the Liberal Republic.

Instead, the 1833 Constitution was reformed, aiming to:

• Balance power among branches of government
• Reduce executive power
• Advance legal equality
• Safeguard individual liberties
• Promote public freedoms

Voting expansion is described as progressive but still exclusionary:

• Voting requirements were reduced (e.g., removing property/profession-type demands)
• Not universal; many groups remained excluded
• Women’s full electoral rights are noted as much later (mid-20th century)

2) Limiting executive power and strengthening Congress

Key mechanisms included:

• Immediate presidential reelection prohibited (contrasted with the Conservative Republic’s long presidential terms)

Congress gained tools and authority, including:

• Interpellation of ministers
  • Ministers can be questioned/called to address matters
  • This led to high ministerial turnover—Congress applying pressure on the executive
• Debate dynamics
  • No maximum time limit for debate in Congress
  • Laws could remain open-ended longer if debate closure never occurred
• Periodic laws / annual budget approval pressure
  • Congress must approve key laws (e.g., the budget)
  • Without budget approval, executive action is constrained

These escalating tensions are linked conceptually to the later 1891 civil war.

3) Secularization of the State (Church–State separation)

Definition provided:

• The state separates from church influence and becomes increasingly autonomous
• Decisions should be based on civil laws, not religious principles

Practical effects described:

• Previously, the church handled key civil matters:
  • births, deaths, marriages
• Under secularization:
  • those functions shift toward the state

Liberal principle mentioned:

• Religion should belong to the private sphere of individuals

Secularization is portrayed as a long process that culminates with constitutional separation:

• Liberals initiate reforms during the Liberal Republic
• Said to be consolidated in 1925, when church and state separation is legally established

Examples of laws and reforms cited (approximate years as stated):

• 1865: law on “freedom of worship” (greater ability for non-Catholics to practice)
• 1875: law on ecclesiastical jurisdiction
  • removes legal privileges for religious figures in civil matters
• 1883: secular cemeteries law
  • cemeteries become public rather than exclusively Catholic
• 1884: civil marriage and civil registry law
  • state takes responsibility for tracking births, deaths, and marriages

The instructor uses an association “trick”:

• Domingo Santa María (surname suggesting Catholic association) is framed as a promoter of secular laws (humorous contradiction).

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Block 3: Territorial transformations (Araucanía + War of the Pacific)

A) Occupation of Araucanía

Presented as a violent process in which the Chilean state gained effective control over territory not previously under full state control.

Background emphasized:

• In the mid-19th century, Chile lacked real control because indigenous peoples resisted incorporation into the national state.

Motivations described:

• Effective sovereignty (control and administration)
• Economic interests (agricultural value and resources)
• A “civilizing” discourse used to justify action against indigenous peoples (“inferior/barbarous” framing)

Key events and method described:

• A legal framework was used
• Establishing province structures (example: Arauco)
• Cornelio Saavedra appointed intendant (framed as leading the process)
• “Pacification” is discussed critically:
  • the word is used in quotes because “peace” assumes a prior war narrative
• Military advance:
  • frontier initially at the Bío-Bío River
  • gradually moved further south
• By 1881:
  • Chile imposes control over southern territory
  • indigenous peoples are confined to reductions (state-delimited areas away from original lands)

Consequences described:

• The state gains effective control over land south of the Bío-Bío River
• The state strengthens and gains more economic resources
• Indigenous peoples face:
  • loss of territory
  • loss of connection to ancestral land
• The issue remains contentious today

B) War of the Pacific

Differences from earlier conflicts:

• Not the same as the War against the Peru-Bolivian Confederation (different war, though actors overlap)

Causes described:

• Border disputes
• Economic interests, especially the nitrate/saltpeter zone

Before the war:

• Boundaries were “blurred”
• Treaties mentioned:
  • 1866: border set at the 24th parallel; 23rd–25th parallels share economic benefits
  • 1870/1874: saltpeter becomes key; rules reaffirmed, limiting Bolivia’s ability to increase taxes on Chilean companies for a period

Trigger event described:

• Bolivia increases saltpeter tax by 10 cents (violating the earlier framework)
• Chilean companies refuse to pay
• Bolivia auctions off properties
• Chile occupies Antofagasta, arguing Bolivia broke the treaty

Peru’s involvement:

• Peru had a defensive alliance with Bolivia

Outcome and territorial results:

• Chile defeats Bolivia and gains nitrate-rich territory
• Chile occupies Antofagasta and restricts Bolivia’s access to the sea
• With Peru:
  • Chile initially takes Tarapacá, Arica, Tacna
  • 1929: final division as described (Tacna to Peru, Arica to Chile)

Consequences mentioned:

• Major impact on institutional, political, social, cultural, and economic development
• Saltpeter becomes a main export, fueling:
  • state revenue
  • public works
  • population attraction to northern Chile
• Some territorial adjustment also noted:
  • Chile ceding Patagonia due to tensions with Argentina (briefly mentioned)

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Practice question and how the instructor teaches reasoning

PAES-style multiple-choice question

Theme: territorial expansion during the 19th century (example: Araucanía) Question: one strategy used by the Chilean state to consolidate occupation

Options:

• A. The establishment of indigenous reservations
• B. Incorporating Mapuche leaders into the legislative branch
• C. Creating legally autonomous indigenous communities
• D. Demilitarizing provinces inhabited by indigenous peoples

Correct answer taught

• A. Establishment of indigenous reservations

Explanation logic given:

• Reservations concentrate Mapuche population in controlled areas, enabling state control and settlement aligned with state interests.

Why other options are rejected

• B: no such political representation mechanism as described at that time
• C: Chile did not have legally autonomous indigenous communities in that era
• D: occupation is portrayed as military expansion, contradicting demilitarization

Exam strategy lesson

• PAES questions often test motivations, consequences, and impacts, not detailed procedural minutiae.
• Students should use the “logic” of which option best fits.

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Overall wrap-up of the class (as stated)

During the Liberal Republic (1861–1891):

• Chile has greater political stability and economic growth
• Reforms modernize the state:
  • weaker presidential power
  • stronger Congress
  • progress in Church–State separation
• Chile expands territorially through:
  • occupation of Araucanía
  • War of the Pacific
• The period ends with the 1891 civil war, leading toward the parliamentary/parliamentary (oligarchic) regime.

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Speakers / sources featured

• Unnamed instructor/teacher (speaking throughout)
• Laura (participant referenced by name)
• Matu / Matu (participant referenced by name)
• Kate / Kate (participant referenced by name)
• Pedro (participant referenced by name)
• Frutijita (participant referenced by name)
• Puntaje Nacional (source of study materials), including:
  • Puntaje Nacional YouTube channel
  • puntagenacional.cl
  • the PAES practice manual for History and Social Sciences