Did the period immediately after independence erase or reverse the legacies of the colonial era? While much changed in Spanish America throughout the nineteenth century, this chapter challenges the idea that the consequences of venality, particularly at the local level, were stamped out with independence. Through a detailed examination of archival and administrative sources, the analysis unveils the continuation or revitalization of labor and fiscal policies from the colonial era; limits to the formation of new representative governments in provinces more exposed to venality; the persistence of grievances devolving into conflict; and in some countries, the continued segregation of the indigenous population. Part of this continuity lies in the strong influence of the colonial administration for the configuration of states that emerged: while much changed in terms of territory, much less changed in terms of population. Overall, these findings make the case that the legacies from earlier venality constrained the state-building paths these countries could follow in the nineteenth century.