History Río de la Plata Basin

1 history

1.1 exploration
1.2 colonial period
1.3 revolutionary period

history

the río de la plata basin has been site of conflict in modern history of south america, of because basin contained (contested) frontiers between portuguese , spanish empires in south america , successor states. series of wars has been fought on territorial control in region, particularly in nineteenth century.

early exploration

explorer sebastian cabot made detailed study of río de la plata , tributaries , gave river modern name. explored paraná , uruguay rivers between 1526 , 1529, ascending paraná far present-day city of asunción, , explored paraguay river. cabot acquired silver trinkets trading guaraní near today s asunción, , these objects gave rise name río de la plata, river of silver .

colonial period

the first european colony in platine region city of buenos aires, founded pedro de mendoza on 2 february 1536. settlement, however, abandoned; failure establish settlement on la plata estuary led explorations upriver , founding of asunción in 1537. buenos aires subsequently refounded juan de garay on 11 june 1580.

during colonial era platine basin largely neglected spanish empire until 1760s, when portugal , britain threatened expand estuary. spanish colonies in region separated viceroyalty of perú , formed new viceroyalty of río de la plata in 1776. during napoleonic wars spain became ally of french, , britain invaded region in 1806–1807 unsuccessfully.

revolutionary period

conflict in region intensified after independence of former spanish , portuguese colonies in first quarter of nineteenth century. territorial interests , navigation rights in platine region @ issue in many armed conflicts throughout century, including argentine civil wars, cisplatine , platine wars, , paraguayan war.