This division into nation-states prefigures what would happen to Europe in the mid-19th century, and in that sense, Latin America is the leader of 19th century world history. And Latin American history presages another key theme in modern life, multiculturalism. And all of that makes Latin America sound very modern, but in a number of ways, Latin American independence wasn't terribly revolutionary. First, while the Peninsulares were gone, the rigid social hierarchy with the wealthy Creoles at the top remained. Second, whereas revolutions in both France and America weakened the power of the established church, in Latin America, the Catholic Church remained very powerful in people's everyday lives. And then there is the patriarchy. Although there were many women who took up arms in the struggle for independence, including Juana Azurduy, who led a cavalry charge against Spanish forces in Bolivia, patriarchy remained strong in Latin America.