ARGENTINA HISTORY

Argentina - History By Ekaterina Zhdanova-Redman

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¹ Before the arrival of European settlers to Argentina in the 16th century, many different native people already lived there. Many belonged to small, nomadic tribes. Among these native people were two large groups--the Diaguita, who lived in the north, near the Andes Mountains, and the Guarani, who lived in the south. Both groups of native Argentines were primarily farmers.

² Both were also strong and possessive of their land. In fact, some of the earliest rebellions in Argentine history were of the Diaguita. This group repelled the Inca, who tried to invade Diaguita land from the north. This act of rebellion against invaders would certainly not be the country's last. Much of early Argentine history is made up of stories of rebellion.

³ During the sixteenth century, European explorers found their way to Argentina. Among the first was the Spaniard Juan de Solis. Unfortunately for de Solis, he found natives who didn't like the idea of Spanish rule. Argentine natives killed de Solis in 1516, and generally made life very difficult for European explorers in Argentina.

⁴ It took Spain decades to establish any kind of permanent colony in Argentina. By the late sixteenth century, Spain had established the city of Buenos Aires, which still exists today. In fact, Buenos Aires is Argentina's capital and is today one of the country's largest cities.