The Bourbon Reform and How It Influenced the Independence Movement IntroductionHistorians refer to the period 1759-1763 as Bourbon Latin America, due to the lauded reform activities that took place during it period. These reforms were developed and facilitated by enlightened government leaders and reformers such as Jose Patino and Princes of the House of Bourbon. The importance of these reforms meant that the early periods of Bourbon Latin America and the later periods of Habsburg rule were used together. Historical studies in this topic base their interests mainly on the early Bourbons who were slightly involved in the War of Spanish Succession which occurred from 1702 to 1713. The Habsburg regime had devastated Spain due to the high number of wars and defeats that the empire had suffered both internally and externally. This country had faced bankruptcy; Spanish soldiers even weakened in wars and fled from battles. Spain underwent colonization in America by the English, Dutch and French. This era of enlightenment and its effects were realized on the eve of Spain's independence from its colonizers. The Bourbons were inspired to create a New Spain using the mercantilist policies that were employed by regimes in the early modern world to revive their economies. Bourbon Reforms Philip V succeeded in this war of succession, which allowed the Bourbon monarchy to initiate reforms in an attempt to centralize the Spanish government; reform the country's financial systems; restore and strengthen the country's military forces. The House of Bourbon had three princes, Philip V (1700-1746), Ferdinand VI (1746-1759), and Charles III (1759-1788) who worked together to facilitate these reforms that completely modernized Spain. These reforms and...... middle of paper ......restructure their laws and traditions. The entire country became enlightened by spreading French-related materials that influenced other Spanish citizens in the country. Spain also began to develop trade relations with the French who later improved the colonial economic activities initiated earlier through the Bourbon reforms. Summary and Conclusion The Bourbon monarchy and their reform program greatly transformed the Spanish empire which had previously been ruined by the Habsburg regime. The country's structural changes imposed increasing strains on the colonies as most of these reforms were aimed at eliminating colonial organizations that had dominated significant positions of the country. These reforms were later strengthened by ideas borrowed from the French Revolution which strengthened Spain's independence efforts.