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Western Bolivia was inhabited by the Aymará people. They dominated the area around Lake Titicaca. The war-like Inca conquered them and added them to their emense empire. The Spanish at first focused on the Inca centers in Peru because they were close to the coast and the Inca treasures could be more easily ceased and transported. The Spanish gradually moved into Bolivia which they called Alto Peru (Upper Peru). The Spanish reduced the Native Americans to a form of serfdom little different than slavery. The remoteness of the high Andes helped limit the numbers of Spanish reaching Alto Peru. This had the affect of protecting the Native Americans from the European diseases that so ravaged populations in other areas of the Americas. An extremely stratified society with an elite Spanish land-owning class developed, the continuing impact ofcwhich still affects moden Bolivia. The Spanish discovered a famulosly rich silver vein near Potosi (1544). Potosi became the largest Spanish settlement in South America. The country's independent life was marked by an extended period of domestic power struggles and instability. The country was ruled by a series of dictators called cauldillos. Geography and internal divisions made it difficult for Bolivia to defend the poorly defined borders of Alto Peru. Continued instability in the 20th century, conservative military rule, and socialist economic reforms have left Bolivia the poorest country in South America.
Western Bolivia was inhabited by the Aymará people. They dominated the area around Lake Titicaca. The war-like Inca conquered them and added them to their emense empire. As a result, most ofthe Andean areas of Bolivia at the time of the Spanish conquest were part of the Inca Empire. This included Lake Titicaca and in the valleys of the Cordillera Oriental.
The Spanish at first focused on the Inca centers in Peru because they were close to the coast and the Inca treasures could be more easily ceased and transported. The feats of the Spanish Conquistadores are some of the most dramatic accounts in history. The conquest of Peru is one of these epic feats. Here we can not begin to do justice to the story other than outline it for the casual reder. A great empire was destroyed by a handfull of Spanish adventurers led by an obscure, illiterate commander who grew up illigitimate and poor. Franciso Pizarro landed on the Pacific coast of South America with a force of only 167 soldiers. The Incas had constructed a great empire streaching from modern day Ecuador south to Chile. The Incas had not yet developed technologies common in the West such as metal tools, the wheel, and a written language, but they had developed a rich culture and agriculture which in many ways was more productve than modern Peruvian agriculture. The Inca Empire fielded vast armies and constructed powerful fortifications. Pizarro knew relatively little about the Inca, but he considered Cortez's strategy in Mexico as had decided to persue a similar approch. Pizarro on arriving in the Inca Empire sent message to the Inca Emeror Atahualpa and like Cortez in Mexico managedt take him prisoner and destroy a great empire. Pizarro was able to succeed with even a smaller force than Cortez. As in Mexico, the story is one of courage and audacity mingled with avarice, treachery, and crulty and stands in sharp contrast to that of North America where colonization was largely based on the desire for religious expression and land to farm. The gold and silver from Peru combined with that from Mexico turned Spain with its powerful army into a European super power. Ironically the most significant aspect of the Conquest may have been the introduction of the lowly potato to Europe.
The Spanish gradually moved into Bolivia which they called Alto Peru (Upper Peru). The Spanish reduced the Native Americans to a form of serfdom little different than slavery. The remoteness of the high Andes helped limit the numbers of Spanish reaching Alto Peru. This had the affect of protecting the Native Americans from the European diseases that so ravaged populations in other areas of the Americas. As a result, the Andean areas of Bolivia continued to be populated primarily by Native Americans a demographic feature that continues to this day. An extremely stratified society with an elite Spanish land-owning class, an urban class of mestizos who became merchants and artisans, and a large landless Native American peasant class developed. The Spanish at the tiny Inca village of Chuqisaca founded a small settlemnt which they named Potosi (q1538). The Spanish discovered a famulosly rich silver vein near Potosi (1544). Potosi was distant from the coast and high in the Andes (4,200 meters). As a result of the silver, however, Potosi became the largest Spanish settlement in South America--120,000 people. Potosi became the Spanish administrative center and after the revolutionary wars was remamed Sucre in honor of the famed general. The Spanish founded other settlements in Alto Peru: La Paz (1548), Cochabamba (1574), and Oruro (1604). Alto Peru for most of the Soanish colonial period was at first an administrative dependency of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Eventually it was transferred to the Viceroyalty of La Plata (1776).
The Spanish colonial population after the defeat of Spanish royalist armies declared independence (1825). At this time, it was more an act of independence from Argenruna and Peru than Spain. An Assembly met in Chuqisaca (Sucre). General Antonio Jose de Sucre was one of Bolívar's principal generals and played a major role in the northern wars of independence, fighting major battles in Ecuador and Peru. He defeated the Spanish garrison in Alto Peru. The Chuqisaca Assembly elected him president of Alto Peru. Simon Bolívar helped draft a constitution which was quickly adopted (1826). The country was remamed Bolivia.
The country's independent life was marked by an extended period of domestic power struggles and instability. The country was ruled by a series of dictators called cauldillos. They were military men who seizedcthecgovernment by force. They attempted with vary degrees of success to integrate Bolivia's three geographically disparate regions (the northeastern lowlands, the eastern Andes, and the Altiplano) into a united nation. The rugged geography made this a dfficult task and continuing regional dfferences continue to affect modern Bolivia. Internal discesion and instability meant that Bolivia was one of the weaker of the South American countries. This left it unprepared to protect its territority from the claims of neighboring countries. Bolivia faced a major problem as a new nation, its borders were not well established. This caused problems in both he east and west. Bolivia became deeply involved in power struggles in Peru which also involved Chile. Another major concern was efforts by Argentina to annex Bolivia.
Independent Bolivia had a Pacific coast wedged between Chile and Peru. This included most of the Atacama desert and the port of Antofagasta. For many years this was not a major problem as the Ataacama was generally seen as a barren area of virtually no value. This changed with the discovery of nitrate deposits in the Atacama. (Nitrate before the development of chemicalm processes to create amonia was extremely valuable.) The discovery along with rising border tensions led to the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Fighting broke out between Chile abd Bolivia and Peru joined the Bolivians. Chile defeated the two counties, seizing the coastal area of the Ataccama, inclufing Antofagasta as well as an area of southern Peru. This was especially costly to Bolivia as it lost its only outlet to the sea. A railway link (Oruro-Antofagasta) was built (1892).
Political instability continued. There were numperous presidents and contitutions. Bolivia had 10 different consitutions in the 19th century.
Bolivia lost more of its territory in the early-20th century. Brazil seized large areas in the eastern Amazonian lowlands (1904).
TheBrazilian seizure of territory was followed by the debilitating Chaco War with Paraguay (1932-35). This cost Brazil its area of the Gran Chaco. Modern Bolivia is less than half of the poorly defined territory of Alto Peru at the time of independence.
The country was mainly agricultural and much of the productive land was owned by a small number of major land owners. Foreign investment helped found a major mining sector. Three large foreign mining corporations came to play a major role in the country's economic and political life. Thus Bolivia was largely dominated by large labd owners, foreign mimning interes, and the military.
The Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR) seized control of Bolivia (1952). The MNR persued a reform program, expropriating the mines and intriducing land reform to break up the largecestates. The Army seized power (1964). This lead to an extended period of instability. Bolivia has 19 presidents (mostly generals--13) (1964-89). Only two of these presidents completed their full terms.
Fidel Castro and Communist Cuba attempted to inspire revolutions in several Latin American countries. Bolivia was one of the targets. Maj. Ernesto (Ché) Guevara, his relations frayig with Fidel, attempted to carve out his own Socialist fiedom in Bolivia (1965). He failed to inspire much of a local following. The Bolivian military aided by U.S. military advisers tracked Che's group down. He was captured and executed (October 8, 1967).
More military coups followed the defeat of the Cuban revolutionary campaign. The military finally returned the government to civilian rule (1982). Hernán Siles Zuazo was elected president. Civilian rule did not bring an end to the country's difficulties. The country was affected by work stoppages and the all-important mines. It also had the lowest per capita income of all the South American countries.
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