During the nineteenth century, rebellions and revolutions overturned long-established patterns of European colonial rule throughout the Americas and in Australia. The newly independent countries focused on nation building and economic development and struggled to establish systems of government and new trade patterns and to address issues of land management, urbanization, and regional and racial differences. Their struggles produced markedly different results. The United States, Canada, and Australia created stable democratic societies, whereas Latin American countries grappled with ongoing political and economic instability. The United States transformed into an industrial power rivaling those of Europe, while Canada and Australia retained their largely agricultural economies. At the same time, social and economic inequality persisted across the Americas, sparking tensions in every nation.