Republic of South Peru Peru and North Peru reverted to being a single Republic of Peru. The Peru-Bolivian Confederation was a plan that attempted to reunite the "Alto Perú" ("Upper Peru", now Bolivia) and "Bajo Perú" ("Lower Peru", now simply Peru) into a single political and economic entity. Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz promoted an ambitious project to reunite these two territories on the basis of a confederacy. This integration was based not only on historical, cultural and ethnic reasons, but also on sound economic motives. The union was trying to restore the ancient commercial routes and promote a policy of open markets. As
Protectorate of Peru this, Peru remained strongly royalist and participated in the political reforms implemented by the Cádiz Cortes (1810–1814), despite Abascal's resistance. Peru was represented at the first session of the Cortes by seven deputies and local cabildos (representative bodies) became elected. Therefore, Peru became the second to last redoubt of the Spanish Monarchy in South America, after Upper Peru. Peru eventually succumbed to patriot armies after the decisive continental campaigns of José de San Martín (1820–1823) and Simón Bolívar (1823–1825). Some of the early Spanish conquistadors that explored Peru made the first attempts for independence from the Spanish crown. They tried