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Assembly of the Year XIII

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Assembly of Year XIII

Asamblea del Año XIII
United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
Coat of arms or logo
Meeting of the Assembly.
Type
Type
History
Established1813
Disbanded1815
Succeeded byCongress of Tucumán
Seal of the Assembly
Territories represented at the Assembly

The Assembly of the Year XIII (Spanish: Asamblea del Año XIII, also known as the General Constituent and Sovereign Assembly of the Year 1813 (Asamblea General Constituyente y Soberana del Año 1813), was a congress of deputies of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata convened by the Second Triumvirate, which met in Buenos Aires from 31 January 1813 to 24 January 1815. Its objectives were for the representatives of the "free peoples" to recognise the sovereignty of the people, proclaim the independence of the United Provinces and draft a constitution that would define the institutional system of the new state. Although these last two objectives were not met, the assembly established a significant number of reforms in the Rioplatense institutions and among other measures established the celebration of 25 May as a civic holiday, remove the image of Ferdinand VII from coins and official documents, declared the principle of the sovereignty of the people, commissioned the composition of a national anthem, dictated the abolition of slavery, removed nobility titles, and proclaimed freedom of the press among other things.

Accomplishments

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During the assembly, different interests delayed the declaration of independence, but a number of common points were successfully established:

  • The national coat of arms was chosen.
  • The national anthem was adopted, including the lines, "O hear the sounds of broken chains! / See noble equality enthroned!"[1]
  • The freedom of wombs law (Libertad de vientres), which ultimately put an end to slavery, was passed, dictating that children born from slaves since the passing of the law were automatically free citizens.[1]
  • All titles of nobility (from the colonial period) were voided and suppressed.[1]
  • The creation of the national currency was ordered.
  • The Spanish Inquisition and the practice of torture were abolished.[1]
  • A statute was approved that replaced as Executive Power the Second Triumvirate for a unipersonal Supreme Directorship.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Bushnell, David (1983). Reform and reaction in the Platine provinces, 1810–1852. University Presses of Florida. pp. 10–11. ISBN 0813007577.