The Ibero-American independence, particularly that of Brazil, occurred within a specific context of international relations that some have considered the first wave of decolonization. This period saw a shift in power away from Europe due to the American and French revolutions and the rise of Napoleon. These independences mark a significant rupture that will alter the landscape of international relations, ushering in a new set of states, with one in particular soon taking the lead: the United States of America.