Brief Summary
This video discusses the European conquest of America and Argentina, highlighting the Spanish plan of conquest and colonization through evangelization after realizing the economic benefits of the American continent. It explains the factors that enabled a relatively small number of Europeans to conquer vast territories with large native populations, including military superiority, the devastating impact of European diseases on the native population, and strategic alliances with native peoples. The video also details the founding of various cities in Argentina by different colonizing currents from Chile, Lima, and Asuncion, noting the common characteristics of these city foundations and the challenges faced, such as resistance from native populations and logistical issues.
- Military superiority of the Spanish, including advanced weaponry and the use of horses.
- Devastating impact of European diseases on the native population, who had no immunity.
- Strategic alliances with native peoples who were subjects of empires like the Aztecs and Incas.
- Founding of cities in Argentina by colonizing currents from Chile, Lima, and Asuncion.
Introduction: Conquest of America and Argentina
The video introduces the conquest of America and Argentina by Europeans, particularly the Spanish, who sought to colonize and evangelize the American continent after recognizing its economic potential. In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs signed the Treaty of Tordesillas with Portugal to distribute the lands. The presenter notes the seeming impossibility of a few thousand Europeans conquering a vast territory inhabited by millions of Americans.
Reasons for European Success
The Spanish military superiority, with crossbows, firearms, cannons, war machines, armor, and metal swords, played a significant role in their success. Horses, initially frightening to the natives, were also an advantage. However, the most impactful factor was the introduction of European diseases like the flu, typhus, and smallpox, against which the native populations had no defenses. According to anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro, the native population of Latin America decreased from 70 million to 3.5 million within 150 years of European arrival, with half of the deaths attributed to disease. Alliances with native peoples also aided the Spanish, as seen when Hernan Cortes invaded the Aztec empire with only 550 Spaniards but gained support from groups like the Tlaxcaltecas and Totonacs, who were promised freedom from Aztec tributes.
Conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empires
On August 13, 1521, the Aztec forces surrendered to Cortes, who renamed the territory New Spain and established the first viceroyalty of the Indies. Francisco Pizarro benefited from an Inca legend predicting the arrival of divine beings with white skin and beards from the sea. When the Inca Atahualpa met Pizarro in Cajamarca on November 16, 1532, he brought an unarmed guard, underestimating Pizarro's small force. Pizarro seized the opportunity to capture and execute Atahualpa on July 26, 1533, and conquered the Inca capital. On January 18, 1535, Pizarro founded the city of the Kings, now Lima, which became the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru on November 20, 1542.
Founding of Cities in Argentina
Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago in Chile on February 12, 1541, which became one of the founding currents of Argentine territory. The other two currents originated from Lima and Asuncion. The foundations of these cities shared common characteristics, such as being built around a main square with a stick of justice, a town hall, and a church, symbolizing political and religious powers. Many cities were initially founded and later moved due to political, climatic, or resistance-related reasons.
Colonization from Chile and Asuncion
The Chilean current aimed to create a fence of populations to defend Chilean cities from native attacks and secure trade routes to Peru, but it later sought its own route to the Atlantic. Pedro del Castillo founded Mendoza on March 2, 1561, though it was moved the following year by Juan Jufre, who also founded San Juan on June 13, 1562. In 1594, Luis Jofre, son of Juan Jufre, was tasked with creating a settlement on the route to Buenos Aires and Spain, founding San Luis on August 25, 1594, which was later abandoned. Martin Garcia Ones de Loyola ordered the refounding of San Luis, naming it San Luis del Hoyo, the new Medina of Rioseco. From Asuncion, three cities were founded—Corrientes, Santa Fe, and Buenos Aires—seeking the long-awaited Atlantic port.
Colonization from Buenos Aires and Tucumán
On April 3, 1588, Juan Torres de Vera y Aragon and his nephew Alonso de Vera y Aragon founded Corrientes as a settlement of passage between Asuncion and Buenos Aires. Juan de Garay created the cities of Santa Fe in 1573 and Buenos Aires in 1580. Expeditions from the capital of the viceroyalty founded cities in northwestern Argentina, facing resistance from native peoples in the Calchaquí Wars. Santiago del Estero, founded in 1553, was the first settlement to persist and served as a base for colonizing currents that founded the capitals of northwestern Argentina and Cordoba.
Founding of Tucumán, Córdoba, La Rioja and Jujuy
Francisco de Aguirre definitively founded Santiago del Estero on July 25, 1553, after several transfers due to political reasons. Aguirre ordered Diego de Villarroel to found the city of Tucumán in Ibatín on May 31, 1565, which became the demographic, economic, and commercial axis of the Río de la Plata. Jerónimo Luis Cabrera's founding of Córdoba had a particular history; despite being ordered to found a city in the north to protect silver extraction from El Voto, he disobeyed and founded Córdoba to the south on July 6, 1573, which led to his trial and execution. Juan Ramirez de Velasco founded La Rioja on May 20, 1591, distributing the original population in encomiendas. Francisco Algarañaz founded Jujuy on April 19, 1593, to protect Potosí, after several previous foundations were destroyed by Calchaquí attacks.
Founding of Catamarca and Patagonia
The city of Catamarca was founded much later, on July 5, 1683, by Fernando de Mendoza and Mate de Luna, who named it San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, due to delays caused by the Calchaquí War. Attempts to colonize Patagonia were few during these years; in 1535, Simon de Alcazaba tried to found a settlement in Chubut, but the harsh climate and native hostility led to a mutiny and his death. Conquest attempts in Patagonia did not resume until the late 1800s.
Conclusion: Governments and Perspective
The governments of Puyo, Tucumán, and Buenos Aires were formed, completing the initial stage of conquest in Argentine territory. The video concludes by noting that while this history is often referred to as a "conquest" from the European perspective, it should be viewed as an "invasion" from the perspective of the native peoples.
