Enhance your knowledge of South America to enrich your travels with these resources about the historical background and current issues.
The priests of the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as Jesuits, developed the series of missions in what is now Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay as a social and economic extension of the mission to bring the Roman Catholic religion to the indigenous populations, mainly the Guaraní tribes, via spiritual instruction, education, commercial endeavors and trade. These settlements were called a reducción in Spanish, or redução in Portuguese.
The Jesuit Missions in South America began in Brazil, then spread to what is now Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay, with one in Uruguay. They are all on the tourist mission circuit, and a worthwhile visit to learn about Spanish and Portuguese colonial history.
R. B. Cunninghame Graham's history, published in 1901, of the expulsion of the Jesuits from the continent and the consequent tragedy imposed upon South America's native inhabitants.
Aboriginal societies to the new Andean Republics.
"Respetado por los argentinos, los chilenos y los peruanos, admirado por los bolivianos y quiteños, sin enemigos en Venezuela y en la Nueva Granada y con todos sus antecedentes, Sucre estaba destinado a ser el natural sucesor de Bolívar".
The day Columbus landed in the Americas is celebrated as Columbus Day or as Día de la Raza. Not everybody favors this holiday. Do you?
Lonely Planet has some great information about travels to and in South America. Peruse a guide here.
Links to a number of subjects from economics, the Andes, African Diaspora through politics, drugs, history, anthropology, wars and news.
The many varied indigenous tribes of South America enjoyed their own cultures for years before the arrival of Europeans and subsequent immigrations. Here you'll find a sampling of the many books written about the history and traditions of South America.
Facts from the History Channel.
"José Antonio Ramos Sucre, poeta venezolano, nació en Cumaná, estado Sucre el 09 de junio de 1890; murió en Ginebra el 13 de junio de 1930, "víctima de su propia soledad".
Overview of the document, written by US President James Monore in 1823, that established the refusal to tolerate any further European expansion in the Americas.
Good summation from the History Channel.
A collection of autograph documents signed by Spanish kings South American colonial officials and South American military leaders of both the loyalist and revolutionary camps. They originated in Spain Bolivia Chile Ecuador and Peru but are principally from Peru.
Travel to South America was a little more difficult then.
Most historians believe that Butch and Sundance died in a shoot-out in San Vincente, a town in southern Bolivia, where they had fled after robbing the payroll of the Aramayo Mining Co.
This quick 10 question quiz deals with history, a little geography, some botany, a dash of culture and a smidgen of gossip. Can you answer all the questions?
Brief overview from the History Channel.
Archaeology links to sites in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, plus updates, bibliographies, mailing lists, and Latin American resources in anthropology and archaeology.
Color coded map displays the changing political systems, by year, from 1945 - 1999.
Brief background and summaries of the wars occuring on the South American continent, from the wars of independence to the Ecuador-Peru conflict of 1995.
Select an historical period, 10,000 years ago to modern days.
