Final answer:
Latin American revolutions before 1915 commonly featured leadership by elites, lack of popular support, and internal challenges but achieved independence without significant foreign aid. They faced unique social and geographical hardships and the post-revolutionary era was marked by social and political struggles.
Step-by-step explanation:
A common characteristic of Latin American revolutions before 1915 was that they were led by well-educated elites who were often of the White creole minority. These revolutionaries strived to achieve independence from mercantilist parent nations, remove the limiting economic models, and establish local governance and free trade. Despite their efforts, they encountered several challenges such as the lack of popular support from the majority mixed-race population, vast geographic distances, economic and cultural isolation, as well as an absence of external assistance, particularly from the United States, Haiti, and Brazil. The internal fragility, such as entrenched colonial social hierarchies and subsequent civil strife, greatly influenced the post-independence period, with creole leaders, local military chieftains, and wealthy landowners shaping the early years of the new nations.
These independence movements faced similar issues as with the American and French Revolutions in terms of fighting for self-rule and changes in governance. However, they also exhibited unique challenges due to the complex racial and social compositions of their societies. Influential leaders, including Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín, were pivotal in kick-starting military operations aimed at defeating royalist forces and spreading independence across South America. Yet, the revolutions were not entirely successful in attaining their goals of social equality and widespread popular support, resulting in a post-revolutionary period marked by continued social and political struggles that were influenced by the legacy of the revolutions.