In 1811, a Spanish translation of Thomas Paine's most important works circulated in Montevideo, including the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the U.S. Constitution, and the constitutions of five U.S. states,[1] and this was inspirational to Uruguayan national hero José Gervasio Artigas, who embraced Paine's ideas.
[1] Many of Artigas's writings drew directly from Paine's, including the Instructions of 1813, which Uruguayans consider to be one of their country's most important constitutional documents.
[1] Americans in Uruguay, although usually only a few as compared with the more numerous local Britons, made significant contributions to the country, notably the naval commander Jonas Coe, who took part in the combats which ultimately led to independence.
[5] There is also another migration-related issue: during the 1960s, several Uruguayans migrated to the United States and had their children on North American soil.
[6][7] Among schoolchildren born abroad, Americans are the fifth-biggest group, among 62 countries that are represented in Uruguayan schools.