Dominican Republic Independence Day – February 27, 2025

History of Dominican Republic Independence Day

In the early 1800s, the colony of Santo Domingo, now the capital of the Dominican Republic, was then the headquarters of Spanish power, albeit in its worst decline. With Spain engaged in the Peninsular War and other wars, the country’s resources were spread around the world, neglecting Santo Domingo. During this period, the España Boba era, the population of the Spanish colony was about 80,000. Yet, the Spanish crown had little to no influence in the colony.

Wealthy cattle ranchers took it upon themselves to become leaders to take control and bring order to the colony, where the ‘law of machete’ ruled the land. José Núñez de Cáceres, the captain of the colony along with the criollo class of the country, finally decided to overthrow the Spanish government to declare independence from their rule, after he was influenced by the revolutions around him, on November 9 in 1821. But that was not when they gained independence, since the nation was united with Haiti in the following year.

The entire island of Hispaniola, comprising Haiti and Santo Domingo, was under the government of Haiti for 22 years. Haiti was more powerful in every way, with a population nearly ten times larger than the former Spanish colony of Santo Domingo. Haiti was the wealthiest colony in the western hemisphere before the Haitian Revolution. It is why Dominican military officers agreed to merge the newly independent nation with Haiti. It would bring political stability and protection to Haiti’s power and wealth. After 22 years of disputes and crises, the Dominican people had to overthrow the Haitian government, finally gaining independence in 1844.