09. Historia de America 32 8/1/07 10:33 Página 179 View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Portal de Revistas Científicas Complutenses The Gálvez Family and Spanish Participation In the Independence of the United States of America Light Townsend CUMMINS Austin College. Sherman, Texas, USA Department of History
[email protected] Recibido: 3 febrero de 2006 Aceptado: 6 julio de 2006 ABSTRACT This article examines the role that the Gálvez family played in setting and implementing the policy by which Spain implemented her participation the American Revolution. The members of the Gálvez family played an important role at every stage of Spain’s involvement in the conflict. This essay analy- zes the activities of José de Gálvez as Minister of the Indies, his brother Matías de Gálvez as comman- der in Central America, and Matías’s son, Bernardo de Gálvez, as governor of Louisiana. Their activi- ties also resulted in the beginnings of diplomatic relations between Spain and the United States when José de Gálvez sent Juan de Miralles and Franciso de Rendon to Philadelphia as observers at the Continental Congress. The work of the Gálvez family created a situation that materially assisted the United States and the activities of the family were an important reason why the Revolution resulted in the defeat of Great Britain. Keywords: Gálvez, American Revolution, Louisiana, Miralles, Rendon, Mississippi Valley, Gulf Coast. La Familia de Gálvez y la participación de España ante la independencia de los Estados Unidos de América RESUMEN Este artículo examina el papel que la familia de Gálvez jugó en cada etapa de la participación y aplica- ción de la política de España en el proceso de la Revolución Americana.