History of Chile   by Jennifer Bailey

Chile, located along the east coast of South America, is a country brimming with a rich historic background. The country has seen several settlers over the past few centuries and withstood some turbulent times.

The history of Chile can be traced back to the time when the Incas first inhabited the region. By the time the Spanish explorers and invaders hit the Chilean shores in the 16th century, the country was divided between different tribes, primarily Native Americans. The most significant of these were the warlike Araucanian tribe, who were the only ones who posed some resistance to the Spanish.

The conquests of Chile by the Spanish conquistadors began in 1535, when they came seeking gold but were turned back by the local population. The Europeans finally managed to establish a permanent settlement in Chile at Santiago in 1541. The repeated Mapuche insurrections resulted in the destruction of several of Spanish settlements. Finally, the abolition of slavery in 1683 brought about a truce between the colonists and the locals.

The struggle for Chile’s independence from Spain began in 1810 when the locals declared Chile an autonomous republic within the Spanish monarchy. Although the Spanish tried to suppress the freedom struggle, constant warfare till 1817 and the decisive victory by Bernardo O’Higgins over the Spaniards, finally ensured complete independence in 1818.

Further turmoil and warfare took place in the form of the War of the Pacific with Peru and Bolivia between 1879 and 1883. As a result, Chile further expanded its territory northwards.

After the Chilean Civil War in 1891, the country witnessed several ups and downs in the political scenario, with short stints of dictatorship. A severe economic depression in the late 1960s and early 1970s also hampered the country’s growth in the international market. Political stability was finally restored in the late 1990s, but not before a brutal military regime under Augusto Pinochet Ugarte when serious human right violations took place.

Today, after years of turmoil, disorder and warfare, the country is a settled place and attracts thousands of tourists each year who take pleasure in and inspiration from its rich historic heritage.

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