Question

Which statement best describes the main idea of the passage?

A. European countries lost control over many colonies in the
Americas in the 19th century.
B. Simón Bolívar played a role in liberating many South American
colonies in the 19th century.
C. Brazil became an empire after it won its independence from
Portugal in the 19th century.
D. Spain was hurt more by 19th-century colonial independence
movements than Portugal.

Answer 1

The passage focuses on the 19th-century liberation movements in South America, led by Simón Bolívar and other liberators, and their efforts to achieve independence from Spanish and Portuguese colonial rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best describes the main idea of the passage is B. Simón Bolívar played a role in liberating many South American colonies in the 19th century. This central theme is highlighted by the description of movements for independence in South America led by liberators such as Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. The passage details how under their leadership, military operations were initiated with the goal of achieving and spreading independence throughout the continent, specifically focusing on the stronghold in Peru.

The independence movements in South America led to the end of Spanish control with Chile and Argentina gaining independence by 1816 and 1818, and Bolívar's victories over the Spanish by 1824. Additionally, Brazil's separation from Portugal in 1822, which resulted in the establishment of a monarchy rather than a republic, differentiates its post-independence trajectory from the former Spanish colonies.