The introduction addresses three matters. First, it provides historical context on late colonial Chile, the independence wars, and nation-state formation during the first half of the nineteenth century. Second, it discusses the theoretical and methodological framework for the book: how and why family was central to these political processes at multiple levels including lived rhetoric, experience, and public policy. It argues that Chile offers an important case study where independence leaders recast the terms of paternal authority and responsibility in an effort to unify diverse populations and stabilize society in the wake of divisive wars. Third, it places this study in its historiographical context and lays out the organization of the book.