Chile: Difference between revisions
Pre-Colonial Chilean history added; Chile under the Spanish added; Chile under the Kingdom of Peru added.
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=== Early History ===
The first humans to inhabit the Chilean lands are estimated to have arrived around 10,000 years ago. From these nomads, various distinguished groups developed in the region, but they can be divided into three groups: the Northerners, influenced by the Inca presence on the area, the Araucanians, people who lived primarily from agriculture in the central-south region of Chile, and the Patagonia nomadic groups.
The inhabitants of southern Chile were the natives which resisted the most Spanish, and later British, attempts of invasion of their lands. Many areas of Patagonia were only de facto controlled in the late 19th century.
The Inca Empire managed to hold territories over northern Chile for a brief time. Due to the distance from Cusco and the lesser amount of time compared to other regions, the Incas were incapable of establishing a strong cultural presence.
=== Spanish Rule ===
Under the Viceroyalty of Peru, Chile received the status of Captaincy General of Chile in 1541. This title lasted until Peruvian independence was declared in 1875. During colonial times, Chilean society, just like the rest of Hispanic America, was based on a caste system. The Peninsulares and the Criollo, the two top classes and most privileged, had control over politics and the economy. Below were the Mestizos and Indians, although free, lacked wealth. On the down bottom were the enslaved.
In the early stages of colonization, Chile's most notable economic activity was mining, but after an indigenous uprising in the late 1500s, the mining settlements were abandoned and the economy shifted to agriculture and husbandry.
=== Peruvian Rule ===
The last governor of the Captaincy General of Chile, Juan Pérez Eyzaguirre, was a member of the Independent Council of Peru. Once Peruvian independence was declared in 1875, the now Province of Chile joined the newly established Kingdom of Peru.
During the war for independence, Chilean forces fought especially around the city of Santiago, where they managed to prevent the city from falling. The Spanish had an initial success, due naval superiority, the port of Valparaíso was taken, but once in land, Chilean forces had the advantage of knowledge of the terrain and narrow paths leading to the main towns.
After the independence of Peru, things came back to a similar way to the colonial times. The Criollo were now the only elite, since Peninsulares were expelled from the country, slavery was abolished soon after the independence, but little was done to integrated the former enslaved into society. Wealthy disparity was enormous and social ascension from the lower classes was almost impossible.
Politically, Peru was a centralized government, so the province didn’t have enough autonomy to solve more localized issues, therefore ideals of reformation of the political system of the country soon popped up among the educated. Economically, the Province of Chile had mining and growth of wheat as its main activities
=== Path towards Independence ===
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